Japanese word

地元

Pronunciation

Romajijimoto

Meaning

  • nounhometown

Example

私の地元は静かな町です。watashi no ji moto wa shizu ka na machi de su

My hometown is a quiet town.

Illustration for 地元 (hometown)

More examples

私は地元の友達によく会います。watashi wa ji moto no tomo dachi ni yo ku a i ma su

I often meet my friends from my hometown.

Core concept

Refers to the familiar place that forms a person's roots or everyday base.

Common phrases

  • 地元の人ji moto no hito

    local people

  • 地元に帰るji moto ni kae ru

    return to one's hometown

Similar words

故郷kokyō: The place a person regards as home because of personal roots and memories.
出身地shusshinchi: The place where a person was born or spent their early years.

Definition in Japanese

人が生まれ育った場所や、現在生活の拠点としている身近な地域。hito ga u ma re soda tta ba sho ya gen zai sei katsu no kyo ten to shi te i ru mi jika na chi iki

Word origin

地元 (jimoto) is a mixed Japanese compound of 地 (ji, "land") and 元 (moto, "origin or base"), forming the idea of a person's home area.

Usage tips

  • Unlike the English word hometown, 地元 (jimoto) can naturally refer to the area where someone currently lives, even when it is not their birthplace.

Other meanings

  • local areanoun

Related words

  • 地元民jimotominlocal residentnoun

Word lists with this word