countryside; rural area; hometown
Refers to one's native place or the countryside in general. Often used in literary or nostalgic contexts, and in compounds like 郷土 (きょうど) or 故郷 (ふるさと).
He left his hometown and works in the city.
50-home township (historical unit)
Historical administrative unit consisting of about 50 households, made up of 2-3 neighbourhoods. Part of the 郷里制 (ごうりせい) system. Rare in modern usage; mainly encountered in historical contexts.
See also: 郷里制
このあたりはのどかな郷の風景が広がっている。
This area is filled with peaceful rural scenery.
In the ancient township system, a 郷 consisted of fifty households.
one's hometown
waterside district; canal town; lakeside area
country samurai; rural samurai
being in one's hometown; residing in the countryside · countryside; rural area
neighboring districts; surrounding countryside
Standard kanji form for both senses.
The kanji 郷 originally referred to a village or rural district. The reading ごう is the on'yomi. The historical administrative sense derives from ancient Chinese and Japanese systems.
township and village enterprises (China); TVE
the Great Saigo
township-neighbourhood system