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March 24, 2026
国(國)guó(Guo2)
The character '国' (guó) refers to a country or nation, representing a political entity with defined borders and governance. It is commonly used in contexts discussing national identity, citizenship, and geopolitical issues. In addition to its primary meaning, '国' can also denote the concept of statehood or nationality.
Strokes8Radical囗Frequency#2592DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
'国' is central to discussions of national pride and identity in China. It connects deeply to concepts of sovereignty and territorial integrity, especially in the context of China's history and its relationship with Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Memory Tip
Imagine a '国' (guó) as a fortress surrounded by walls (the two vertical strokes) protecting its people (the horizontal stroke in the center). Think of 'guó' sounding like 'gourd,' which can be a symbol of abundance in a nation. Visualize a gourd filled with the riches of a country.
Meanings of 国
guó(Guo2)
1country
2nation
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 国
国Simplified
國Traditional
8Strokes
囗Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2592Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L1ElementaryTOCFLL1YCTL1HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 国
Podcast: 国
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AI Study Notes for 国
Quick Contrast
国家 (guójiā) vs 国土 (guótǔ) — use '国' when referring to the concept of a nation itself, while '国家' emphasizes the political entity and '国土' focuses on the physical territory.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a '国' (guó) as a fortress surrounded by walls (the two vertical strokes) protecting its people (the horizontal stroke in the center). Think of 'guó' sounding like 'gourd,' which can be a symbol of abundance in a nation. Visualize a gourd filled with the riches of a country.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse '国' with similar characters like '家' (jiā), which means home or family. Remember that '国' specifically relates to a political or national context. It's used in both formal and informal settings, and common collocations include '国家' (guójiā - country/nation) and '国籍' (guójí - nationality).
HSK Study Tips
While '国' is not specifically listed in the HSK levels, it is fundamental for understanding discussions about countries and global affairs. Students should focus on its use in compound words and learn related terms like '国际' (guójì - international) and '国家' (guójiā - country).
Cultural Note
'国' is central to discussions of national pride and identity in China. It connects deeply to concepts of sovereignty and territorial integrity, especially in the context of China's history and its relationship with Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mispronounce '国' as 'guo' without the correct tonal inflection. Remember, it should be pronounced with a rising tone: 'guó'. Another common mistake is using '国' in isolation without pairing it with '家' (jiā) when discussing nationality, e.g., '我来自中国' (Wǒ láizì Zhōngguó - I come from China) instead of '我来自中国国' (Wǒ láizì Zhōngguó guó).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 国
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Grammar Patterns of 国
国 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
The difference is, you are Anglo-Saxons, we are Latins.
6
元旦是全英国的公众假日。
yuán dàn shì quán yīng guó de gōng zhòng jiǎ rì。
New Year's Day is a public holiday throughout Britain.
7
法国西南部的这个地区是干红葡萄酒的产地。
fǎ guó xī nán bù de zhè gè dì qū shì gān hóng pú táo jiǔ de chǎn dì。
This south-west region of France is the home of claret.
8
英国男人常被认为是矜持而冷漠的。
yīng guó nán rén cháng bèi rèn wéi shì jīn chí ér lěng mò de。
British men are often seen as being reserved and unemotional.
9
真正的危险是该国东部地区的民众动乱。
zhēn zhèng de wēi xiǎn shì gāi guó dōng bù dì qū de mín zhòng dòng luàn。
The real danger is civil unrest in the east of the country.
10
当时自行车是英国最流行的交通工具。
dāng shí zì háng chē shì yīng guó zuì liú háng de jiāo tōng gōng jù。
The bicycle reigned supreme as Britain's most popular mode of transport.
Cultural Notes for 国
🏮Cultural insight
'国' is central to discussions of national pride and identity in China. It connects deeply to concepts of sovereignty and territorial integrity, especially in the context of China's history and its relationship with Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Word Family of 国
Compounds6
掴guai1to slap, to box one's ears
帼guo2women's headgear; mourning cap
腘
蝈guo1cicada, grasshopper; small green frog
啯
椢
Words Containing This Character20
美国USA美國
中国zhōngguóChina中國
国家guójiācountry國家
国际guójìinternational國際
全国quánguówhole nation全國
英国United Kingdom 聯合王國|联合王国[Liánhéwángguó]英國
法国France法國
国guócountry國
我国China我國
德国Germany德國
国王guówángking國王
国内guónèidomestic國內
韩国South Korea (Republic of Korea)韓國
俄国Russia俄國
国外guówàiabroad國外
联合国liánhéguóUnited Nations聯合國
帝国dìguóempire帝國
国会guóhuìParliament (UK)國會
外国wàiguóforeign (country)外國
祖国zǔguómotherland祖國
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 掴 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 国
'国' is pronounced as 'guó' with a rising tone, similar to how you might raise your voice when asking a question.
'国' specifically refers to countries or nations, not cities. For cities, you would use the term '城' (chéng) or simply the name of the city.
'国' refers to a country in a more general sense, while '国家' emphasizes the political and social structures of a nation.
