本国(ほんごく)

ほんごく
noun
home country; country of origin
formalgeographypolitics
1. home country; country of origin; one's own country
The country a person is a national of, or the country where an organization is based, spoken of from outside it. Used of citizens abroad, foreign residents, and the headquarters of a company or government.
本国(ほんごく)に帰(かえ)る。
To return to one's home country.
大使(たいし)は本国(ほんごく)に呼(よ)び戻(もど)された。
The ambassador was recalled to their home country.
この製品(せいひん)は本国(ほんごく)では別(べつ)の名前(なまえ)で売(う)られているそうだ。
I hear this product is sold under a different name in its home country.

本(ほん) (main, one's own) + 国(くに)/国(こく) (country). The word implies a viewpoint outside that country — it is used of someone abroad looking back home, not by a person speaking about the country they are standing in.

Common collocations

  • 本国(ほんごく)に帰(かえ)る: to return to one's home country
  • 本国(ほんごく)政府(せいふ): the home government
  • 本国(ほんごく)送還(そうかん): repatriation, deportation

Similar words

  • 母国(ぼこく): motherland — emotional and personal, the country one belongs to
  • 出身国(しゅっしんこく): country of origin — neutral and administrative, on forms and in statistics
  • 自国(じこく): one's own country — used in contrast with other countries, often in policy discussion

Related Words

Compare: 母国(ぼこく) (motherland)
Compare: 自国(じこく) (one's own country)
general
Added 2026.7.30 21:18 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
30000/30255_hongoku