(くうぐん)

くうぐん
noun
air force
1. air force
The branch of a country's military forces that conducts aerial warfare. Japan's equivalent is the 航空自衛隊(こうくうじえいたい) (Air Self-Defense Force).
空軍(くうぐん)基地(きち)がある。
There is an air force base.
空軍(くうぐん)のパイロットになりたい。
I want to become an air force pilot.
その(くに)空軍(くうぐん)近代化(きんだいか)(ちから)()れている。
That country is putting effort into modernizing its air force.

空軍(くうぐん) refers to the air force branch of a country's military. It is composed of (くう) (sky/air) + (ぐん) (military/armed forces).

THE THREE BRANCHES:

  • 陸軍(りくぐん): army (land forces)
  • 海軍(かいぐん): navy (sea forces)
  • 空軍(くうぐん): air force

JAPAN'S CASE:
Japan does not officially have an 空軍(くうぐん). Under the post-war constitution, Japan's military is organized as 自衛隊(じえいたい) (Self-Defense Forces). The air force equivalent is the 航空自衛隊(こうくうじえいたい) (Air Self-Defense Force). 空軍(くうぐん) is used when referring to other countries' air forces.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 空軍(くうぐん)基地(きち): air force base
  • 空軍(くうぐん)(りょく): air power
  • 空軍(くうぐん)パイロット: air force pilot