1.
foreign country, foreign land
A country or land that is different from one's own. More literary and evocative than 外国, carrying a sense of exoticism, strangeness, or emotional distance.
異国の地で暮らす。
To live in a foreign land.
異国情緒あふれる街並みに魅了された。
I was captivated by the streets filled with an exotic atmosphere.
異国の地で故郷を思い、涙を流した。
In a foreign land, I thought of home and shed tears.
USAGE:
More literary and emotional than 外国. While 外国 is the standard, neutral word for 'foreign country,' 異国 evokes a sense of distance, exoticism, or longing. It often appears in literary prose, travel writing, and historical narratives.
The compound 異国情緒 (exotic atmosphere) is especially common when describing places like 長崎 or 神戸 that have historical foreign influence.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 異国の地: a foreign land
- 異国情緒: exotic atmosphere
- 異国文化: foreign culture
- 異国の人: a foreigner (literary)