国: the kanji for country
国 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means country. Below are its readings, 15 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
国 is written in 8 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
国 has 2 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 15 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
コク (koku)
On reading. It often becomes kok- or kog- before other sounds.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 国際こくさい · kokusai | international |
| 外国がいこく · gaikoku | foreign country |
| 韓国かんこく · Kankoku | South Korea |
| 国内こくない · kokunai | domestic |
| 国民こくみん · kokumin | citizens; the people |
| 国家こっか · kokka | nation; state |
| 帰国きこく · kikoku | returning to one's country |
| 全国ぜんこく · zenkoku | nationwide |
| 国籍こくせき · kokuseki | nationality |
| 国立こくりつ · kokuritsu | national (institution) |
| 国語こくご · kokugo | Japanese (as a school subject) |
| 中国ちゅうごく · Chūgoku | China |
くに (kuni)
Kun reading. It becomes guni at the end of some words.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 国くに · kuni | country |
| 島国しまぐに · shimaguni | island country |
| 雪国ゆきぐに · yukiguni | snow country |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 国際会議に出席します。Kokusai kaigi ni shusseki shimasu.I'll attend an international conference.
- 来月、国に帰ります。Raigetsu, kuni ni kaerimasu.I'm going back to my home country next month.
- 国内の出張が多いです。Kokunai no shutchō ga ōi desu.I often travel on business within the country.
- この商品は全国で売られています。Kono shōhin wa zenkoku de urarete imasu.This product is sold nationwide.
- ここに国籍を書いてください。Koko ni kokuseki o kaite kudasai.Please write your nationality here.
- 日本は島国です。Nihon wa shimaguni desu.Japan is an island country.
Questions about 国
How many strokes does 国 have?
国 is written in 8 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 国?
The on readings are koku (コク). The kun readings are kuni (くに).
How do you ask where someone is from?
A polite way is お国はどちらですか (okuni wa dochira desu ka, Which country are you from?). 国 (kuni) means country.
What JLPT level is 国?
N5. 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 N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Places and directions
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 国
- 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.