Chinese word

祖国

Pronunciation

Pinyinzǔ guó

Meaning

  • nounhomeland

Example

我爱祖国。wǒ ài zǔ guó

I love my homeland.

Illustration for 祖国 (homeland)

More examples

每个公民都有责任保卫祖国。měi gè gōng mín dōu yǒu zé rèn bǎo wèi zǔ guó

Every citizen has a responsibility to defend their homeland.

Core concept

A country felt as part of a person's roots, whether it is still home or is remembered from the past.

Common phrases

  • 热爱祖国rè ài zǔ guó

    love one's homeland

  • 保卫祖国bǎo wèi zǔ guó

    defend one's homeland

  • 建设祖国jiàn shè zǔ guó

    build one's homeland

Similar words

国家guó jiā: A state or country considered as a political unit with its own government.
家乡jiā xiāng: A person's native town or region, linked to childhood and daily life.

Definition in Chinese

指个人的母国或故国，常用于表达对国家的感情或怀念。zhǐ gè rén de mǔ guó huò gù guó cháng yòng yú biǎo dá duì guó jiā de gǎn qíng huò huái niàn

Word origin

祖国 (zǔguó, "homeland") combines 祖 (zǔ, "ancestor") with 国 (guó, "country"), linking a country's land with ancestral roots.

Usage tips

  • In everyday speech, this noun carries a solemn, patriotic tone, so it is more common in speeches, formal writing, and expressions of national feeling than in casual chat.

Other meanings

  • former homelandnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 祖国情怀zǔ guó qíng huáilove for one's homelandnoun

Word lists with this word