くに

country

JLPT N5

Character Breakdown

Understanding '' (guó)

The character '' primarily means 'country' or 'nation'. It is one of the most fundamental words when discussing geography, politics, or culture. In everyday conversation, it often appears in compound words like '国家' (guójiā), meaning 'state' or 'nation'.

Usage and Nuance

When you say '', you refer to a political entity with defined borders and government. It can be used alone or combined with other words to specify aspects related to a country, such as '国家安全' (national security) or '外国' (foreign country).

Common Collocations

  • 国家 (guójiā): nation, state — used to talk about the country as a political entity.
  • 外国 (wàiguó): foreign country — used when referring to countries other than one's own.
  • 国家安全 (guójiā ānquán): national security — a formal term often used in politics or news.

Tips

Avoid confusing '' with '' (chéng), which means city or town. '' always relates to a country or nation. When combined with other characters, it helps specify different aspects of a country, so pay attention to the compound words.

Register

'' is a neutral and very common word suitable for all registers, from casual conversation to formal writing.

Example Sentences

China is a country with a long history.

He dreams of traveling around the world to learn about different countries'

The security of the country is the responsibility of every citizen.