郷: the kanji for hometown; village
郷 is a JLPT N1 kanji that means hometown; village. Below are its readings, 4 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
郷 is written in 11 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
郷 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 4 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
キョウ (kyou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 故郷こきょう · kokyō | hometown |
| 郷土きょうど · kyōdo | native place; local |
| 郷愁きょうしゅう · kyōshū | nostalgia |
ゴウ (gou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 近郷きんごう · kingō | neighboring villages |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- お正月に故郷へ帰った。Oshōgatsu ni kokyō e kaetta.I went back to my hometown at New Year.
- 郷土料理を食べてみたい。Kyōdo ryōri o tabete mitai.I want to try the local cuisine.
- 古い写真を見て郷愁を感じた。Furui shashin o mite kyōshū o kanjita.Looking at old photos made me nostalgic.
- …郷に入っては郷に従え。Gō ni itte wa gō ni shitagae.When in Rome, do as the Romans do.
- 祭りには近郷の人々も集まった。Matsuri ni wa kingō no hitobito mo atsumatta.People from neighboring villages also gathered for the festival.
Questions about 郷
How many strokes does 郷 have?
郷 is written in 11 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 郷?
The on readings are kyou (キョウ), gou (ゴウ). 郷 has no kun reading in the Jōyō Kanji Table.
What JLPT level is 郷?
N1. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N1 is designed to match the former Level 1.
More JLPT N1 kanji
Places, land and buildings
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 郷
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.