Japanese word

郷愁

Pronunciation

Romajikyōshū

Meaning

  • nounnostalgia

Example

昔の写真を見ると、郷愁を感じます。mukashi no sha shin o mi ru to kyō shū o kan ji ma su

I feel nostalgic when I look at old photos.

Illustration for 郷愁 (nostalgia)

More examples

古い校舎の写真は、郷愁を誘います。furu i kō sha no sha shin wa kyō shū o saso i ma su

Photos of the old school building evoke nostalgia.

Core concept

Describes a tender longing for a familiar home or an earlier time that feels distant.

Common phrases

  • 郷愁を誘うkyō shū o saso u

    evoke nostalgia

  • 郷愁に浸るkyō shū ni hita ru

    indulge in nostalgia

  • 郷愁を感じるkyō shū o kan ji ru

    feel nostalgia

Similar words

望郷bōkyō: A longing for one's distant or remembered homeland.
懐古kaiko: A fond feeling for the ways and things of the past.
ノスタルジーnosutarujī: A warm feeling toward a remembered person, place, or time.

Definition in Japanese

過去の思い出や故郷を懐かしく思い、そこへ戻りたいと感じる気持ち。ka ko no omo i de ya ko kyō o natsu ka shi ku omo i so ko e modo ri ta i to kan ji ru ki mo chi

Word origin

郷愁 (kyōshū) combines 郷 (kyō, "hometown") and 愁 (shū, "sorrow"), forming a word for sorrowful longing toward home or the past.

Usage tips

  • English usually separates nostalgia for the past from homesickness for a place, while this Japanese word can describe either feeling depending on the context.

Other meanings

  • homesicknessnoun

Word lists with this word