国 means “country”

くに · kuni

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

くに

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

コク

JLPT N5 · Taught in grade 2 · 8 strokes

The story

A treasure (玉) enclosed within borders (囗): that is what a 国 is. Japan calls itself 日本国, the "land of the rising sun." Every nation begins as an idea worth protecting behind walls.

Used in 外国 (gaikoku, foreign country) and 国語 (kokugo, national language)

Words with 国

• 外国 (がいこく, gaikoku): foreign country
• 国道 (こくどう, kokudou): national highway

More from Society & Government

• 王 king
• 法 law
• 政 politics
• 民 people
• 族 tribe
• 都 capital
• 市 city
• 町 town
• 村 village
• 会 meeting
• 社 company
• 官 government official

Learn 国 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.