島しま国ぐに

also: とうごく

し

ま

ぐ

に

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

island country; island nation

Refers to a country consisting entirely of islands. Often used as a metaphor for Japan, highlighting its geographic isolation or maritime character.

日本にほんはアジアの東ひがしにある島しま国ぐにです。
Japan is an island country in East Asia.

島しま国ぐにであることは、その国くにの文ぶん化かに大おおきな影えい響きょうを与あたえる。

Being an island nation greatly influences the country's culture.

Usage patterns

〈国くに〉は四し方ほうを海うみに囲かこまれた島しま国ぐにだa country surrounded by sea on all sides, described as an island nation
日本にほんは四し方ほうを海うみに囲かこまれた島しま国ぐにです。
Japan is an island nation surrounded by sea on all sides.
島しま国ぐに特とく有ゆうの〈事こと〉something peculiar or characteristic to island nations
それは島しま国ぐに特とく有ゆうの文ぶん化かだと言いわれている。
That is said to be a culture peculiar to island nations.

Kanji

島island
国country

Related words

海かい洋よう国こっ家か
海洋国家 stresses a nation's maritime, seafaring identity, whereas 島国 simply denotes the geographic fact of being composed of islands.

Opposites

内ない陸りく国こく
島国 is a country made up of islands and surrounded by sea, while 内陸国 is a landlocked country with no coastline.

Word family

島しま国ぐに根こん性じょう
insular mentality; island nation mindset

Built from

島しま+国くに

Written forms

島国Usage100%
- しまぐに
  Standard kanji spelling; the reading しまぐに is the most common.
- とうごく
  Alternate reading; less common and may be encountered in formal or literary contexts.
とうごく

Etymology

Compound of 島 (island) and 国 (country). The reading しまぐに is a native Japanese reading (kun'yomi), while とうごく uses the Sino-Japanese readings (on'yomi).