自 国(じこく)

じこく

noun

one's own country

formalwritten

See also: 時刻(じこく) (time, hour)

1. one's own country; home country

The country to which the speaker or subject belongs. Used in formal and written contexts when discussing national policies, international comparisons, or patriotic matters.

自国(じこく)の文化(ぶんか)を大切(たいせつ)にする。

To value one's own country's culture.

自国(じこく)の産業(さんぎょう)を守(まも)るために関税(かんぜい)を引(ひ)き上(あ)げた。

Tariffs were raised to protect domestic industry.

海外(かいがい)に住(す)んでみて初(はじ)めて、自国(じこく)の良(よ)さに気(き)づくことがある。

Sometimes it's only after living abroad that you realize the good things about your own country.

A compound of 自(じ) (self) and 国(こく) (country). Formal in register and common in news, political discourse, and academic writing.

Common collocations

自国(じこく)の利益(りえき) (one's country's interests)
自国(じこく)の文化(ぶんか) (one's own culture)
自国(じこく)民(みん) (citizens of one's own country)
自国(じこく)通貨(つうか) (domestic currency)

Note the homophone 時刻(じこく) (time, hour), which is a completely different word. In casual speech, 自分(じぶん)の国(くに) is more natural than 自国(じこく).

Related Words

Antonym: 他国(たこく) (another country)

Compare: 本国(ほんごく) (home country)

general

Added 2026.2.27 18:14 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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