Japanese word

国語

Pronunciation

Romajikokugo

Meaning

  • nounJapanese, Japanese class

Example

学校で国語を勉強します。gak kō de koku go o ben kyō shi ma su

I study Japanese at school.

Illustration for 国語 (Japanese)

More examples

明日は国語のテストがあります。asu wa koku go no te su to ga a ri ma su

There is a Japanese test tomorrow.

国語の試験で漢字の問題を解きました。koku go no shi ken de kan ji no mon dai o to ki ma shi ta

I solved kanji problems on my Japanese exam.

Core concept

Describes the language regarded as the common language of a nation and, in Japan, the school study of Japanese language and literature.

Common phrases

  • 国語を勉強するkoku go o ben kyō su ru

    study Japanese

  • 国語の授業koku go no ju gyō

    Japanese class

  • 国語の試験koku go no shi ken

    Japanese exam

  • 国語の成績koku go no sei seki

    Japanese grade

Similar words

日本語nihongo: The language of Japan as used in everyday speech, writing, and communication.

Definition in Japanese

一つの国で共通して使われる言語。特に、日本の学校で学ぶ日本語の教科。hito tsu no kuni de kyō tsū shi te tsuka wa re ru gen go toku ni nihon no gak kō de mana bu nihon go no kyō ka

Word origin

国語 (kokugo) comes from the Sino-Japanese elements 国 (koku, "country") and 語 (go, "language"), whose meanings together produce the sense of "national language".

Usage tips

  • When Japanese speakers discuss school schedules, 国語 (kokugo) works as a subject label, while outside school it can refer more broadly to a country's language.

Other meanings

  • national languagenoun

Related words

  • 国語力kokugoryokuJapanese language abilitynoun

Word lists with this word