中ちゅう国ごく

noun

Chūgoku region

The western part of Honshu, comprising Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tottori, and Shimane prefectures. Often called 中国地方 to avoid ambiguity with the country.

See also: 中国地方

• 中ちゅう国ごく地ち方ほうは広ひろ島しまや岡おか山やまを含ふくみます。

  The Chūgoku region includes Hiroshima and Okayama.

• 中ちゅう国ごく山さん地ちは中ちゅう国ごく地ち方ほうの背せ骨ぼねのような山やま々やまです。

  The Chūgoku Mountains are like the backbone of the Chūgoku region.

noun

central part of a country; main region

Literal meaning of the kanji; used in historical or geographical contexts to refer to the central area of a country, not necessarily China.

• その国くにの中ちゅう部ぶは「中ちゅう国ごく」と呼よばれることもある。

  The central part of that country is sometimes called 'chūgoku'.

noun

province of the second lowest rank (ritsuryō system)

Only with reading ちゅうこく

Historical term from the ritsuryō system; also read ちゅうこく. Refers to a province ranked just above the lowest tier.

• 律りつ令りょう制せいでは、中ちゅう国こくは下したから二に番ばん目めの等とう級きゅうの国くにだった。

  Under the ritsuryō system, a 'chūgoku' was a province of the second lowest rank.