故郷

See also: 故鄉, 故鄕, and 故乡

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
故	郷
こ Grade: 5	きょう Grade: 6
kan’on

Alternative spellings
故鄕 (kyūjitai) 古郷

/kokʲau/ → /kokʲɔː/ → /kokʲoː/

From Middle Chinese 故鄉 (MC kuH xjang).

Noun

1. a hometown, homeland

   Synonym: 郷里 (kyōri)

Derived terms

• 生(う)まれ故(こ)郷(きょう) (umare kokyō, “birthplace”)

Idioms

• 故(こ)郷(きょう)へ錦(にしき)を飾(かざ)る (kokyō e nishiki o kazaru)
• 故(こ)郷(きょう)忘(ぼう)じ難(がた)し (kokyō bōjigatashi)
• 錦(きん)衣(い)を着(き)て故(こ)郷(きょう)に帰(かえ)る (kin'i o kite kokyō ni kaeru)
• 錦(にしき)を着(き)て故(こ)郷(きょう)へ帰(かえ)る (nishiki o kite kokyō e kaeru)

See also

• 同(どう)郷(きょう) (dōkyō)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
故	郷
ふる Grade: 5	さと Grade: 6
irregular	kun’yomi

Alternative spelling
故鄕 (kyūjitai)

For pronunciation and definitions of 故郷 – see the following entry.

【ふるさと】 [noun] a homeland, hometown (place one was born and/or raised) [noun] a familiar place one has lived, stayed, or visited in the past [noun] an ancient city, usually crumbling or already in ruins, that once prospered [noun] (figurative) a holy ground [noun] (archaic) one's house or home [noun] (slang) female genitalia Alternative spellings 古里, 故里

(This term, 故郷, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
故	郷
くに
Grade: 5	Grade: 6
jukujikun

Alternative spelling
故鄕 (kyūjitai)

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

1. (poetic) Alternative spelling of 国 (kuni): one's hometown or birthplace
   • 1902, Uchida Roan, Making Many Different Faces in Society (Impoverished Working Student)

   • 1990, Ikuzō Yoshi (lyrics and music), “酔歌 [Drinking Song]”, performed by Ikuzō Yoshi:

     風(かぜ)に風(かぜ)にヨ暖(の)簾(れん)巻(ま)く風(かぜ)にヨ　遠(とお)い故(く)郷(に)のヨ親(おや)父(じ)を想(おも)う

     kaze ni kaze ni yo noren maku kaze ni yo tōi kuni no yo oyaji o omou

     (please add an English translation of this example)