県(けん)

けん
noun
prefecture
1. prefecture
An administrative division of Japan, similar to a state or province.
千葉県(ちばけん)に住(す)んでいます。
I live in Chiba Prefecture.
日本(にほん)には47の県(けん)がある。
Japan has 47 prefectures.
Technically 43 prefectures plus Tokyo (都), Osaka/Kyoto (府), and Hokkaido (道)
県庁(けんちょう)は駅(えき)の近(ちか)くにある。
The prefectural office is near the station.

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

JAPAN'S ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS (都道府県(とどうふけん)):

  • 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

COMMON 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.

general
Added 2026.1.9 21:54 · Revised 2026.3.27 9:47
02000/02151_ken