故国 (gù guó) — one's native land or old country (literary); one's hometown (literary)

Definition

A literary term for one's native or former country / hometown, used in writing (especially poetry) rather than everyday speech. Not interchangeable with the plain, spoken 家乡 or 祖国.

noun
one's native land or old country (literary)one's hometown (literary)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 故国。
    Tā cháng cháng huái niàn gù guó.
    He often misses his native land.
  • 故国，。
    Lí kāi gù guó duō nián, tā zhōng yú huí lái le.
    After leaving his native land for many years, he finally returned.
  • 故国。
    Zhè shǒu shī miáo xiě le shī rén duì gù guó de sī niàn.
    This poem describes the poet's longing for his native land.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

故gùold
国guócountry

故 means old or former and 国 means country, naming one's old country.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ故gù
Same sound today

故 uses 古 for the sound and 攵, written in full as 攴, for the meaning.

Open 故 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 國; 国 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéiclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
或
或huò國guó
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 國 uses 囗 to show closure and 或 to give the sound.

Open 国 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.