Japanese word

本国

Pronunciation

Romajihongoku

Meaning

  • nounhome country

Example

彼は本国へ帰りました。kare wa hon goku e kae ri ma shi ta

He returned to his home country.

Illustration for 本国 (home country)

More examples

彼女は本国の料理を友人に紹介しました。kano jo wa hon goku no ryō ri o yū jin ni shō kai shi ma shi ta

She introduced her home country's cuisine to her friends.

Core concept

Treats the country one belongs to or comes from as the reference point when it is contrasted with foreign countries.

Common phrases

  • 本国から来るhon goku ka ra ku ru

    come from one's home country

  • 本国の家族hon goku no ka zoku

    family in one's home country

Similar words

自国jikoku: The country to which a person or group belongs, viewed in contrast with other countries.
母国bokoku: The country of a person's birth or national origin.
祖国sokoku: The country regarded as the homeland of a person or group.

Definition in Japanese

外国と対比したときに、自分が属する国や出身の国。gai koku to tai hi shi ta to ki ni ji bun ga zoku su ru kuni ya shus shin no kuni

Word origin

本国 (hongoku) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 本 (hon, "origin" or "main") and 国 (koku, "country"), expressing the country that is one's home or place of origin.

Usage tips

  • The Japanese noun 本国 (hongoku) commonly frames a country from an overseas or foreign-country viewpoint, so it has a more formal tone than everyday ways to say one's own country.

Other meanings

  • country of originnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word