homesickness; nostalgia for one's hometown
Refers to a longing for one's hometown or the countryside, often used when someone is away from home. Can carry a slightly literary or emotional tone.
都会で暮らしていると、時々里心がつく。
When living in the city, I sometimes get homesick for my hometown.
彼は里心を抑えて仕事に励んだ。
He suppressed his homesickness and worked hard.
Compound of 里 (sato, 'hometown, countryside') and 心 (kokoro, 'heart, mind'), literally 'hometown heart'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word naturally expresses a heart drawn toward one's native place.