Japanese kanji 国: country

The idea

国 has 8 strokes. Follow the order in the linked KanjiVG diagram. Compare 国（くに）, “country”, with 外国（がいこく）, “foreign country; abroad”. A character may be read differently from word to word; learn each word as a unit.

Examples

• 国くにで日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしました。I studied Japanese in my country.
• 私わたしは中国ちゅうごくから来きました。I came from China.
• 外国がいこくに友達ともだちがいます。I have a friend abroad.
• 私わたしは国内こくないを旅行りょこうします。I travel within the country.
• どの国くにに行いきたいですか。Which country would you like to visit?
• この国くには広ひろいです。This country is large.

Watch out

国 on its own is くに; in 外国 and 国内 it is read こく. Compare the shape of 国 with 図; notice how their components differ.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 国 (country) in hiragana.

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   くに

   国 is read くに and means “country”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word.

2. Write the reading of 外国 (foreign country; abroad) in hiragana.

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   がいこく

   外国 is read がいこく and means “foreign country; abroad”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word.

3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿内（こくない）.

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   国

   国 completes 国内（こくない）, meaning “within the country; domestic”.

4. Which word means “China”? Write the whole word using kanji: 中国 or 外国.

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   中国

   中国 is read ちゅうごく and means “China”. Remember the reading as part of the whole word. 外国 instead means “foreign country; abroad”.

Use it today

Write 国 three times following the linked stroke diagram. Cover the table, read 国 and 外国 aloud, and then check their readings and meanings.