県(けん)

県(けん) is the most common type of administrative division in Japan. There are 43 県(けん) out of 47 total prefectures.

CULTURAL NOTE (prefectures and their equivalents):

• 都(と): Tokyo (東京都(とうきょうと))
• 道(どう): Hokkaido (北海道(ほっかいどう))
• 府(ふ): Osaka (大阪府(おおさかふ)), Kyoto (京都府(きょうとふ))
• 県(けん): the remaining 43 prefectures

Compounds

• 県庁(けんちょう): prefectural government office
• 県民(けんみん): prefectural residents
• 県立(けんりつ): prefectural (institution)
• 県知事(けんちじ): prefectural governor
• 県内(けんない): within the prefecture

Usage

県(けん) is always attached as a suffix to the prefecture name: 千葉県(ちばけん), 愛知県(あいちけん). When speaking casually, the 県(けん) suffix is often dropped.