hometown; birthplace; native place
Refers to the place where one was born and raised, often with nostalgic or emotional overtones. More formal and literary than ふるさと.
See also: ふるさと
彼は故郷を離れて都会で働いている。
He left his hometown and works in the city.
Remembering the scenery of my hometown calms my heart.
I left my hometown to go to university.
I plan to return to my hometown for New Year's.
Living abroad, I start to miss my hometown.
I think fondly of my faraway hometown.
故郷 refers to one's hometown or birthplace on a personal, local level, whereas 祖国 refers to the entire nation of origin.
故郷 names the actual hometown or native place itself, while 出身 describes the background or origin one comes from, not the place per se.
故郷 refers to one's specific hometown or birthplace, while 母国 refers to the entire country of one's nationality or birth.