Meaning of 故乡
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- home
- homeland
- native place
Measure word: 個|个
How to use 故乡
故乡 is a slightly literary, emotional word for the place you were born or grew up, common in writing, songs, and poems. In everyday talk people often say 家乡 (jiāxiāng) or 老家 (lǎojiā) instead. Example: 我很想念我的故乡。(Wǒ hěn xiǎngniàn wǒ de gùxiāng.) I really miss my hometown.
故 (gù) means old or former, and 乡 (xiāng) means village or countryside. Your 故乡 is the old village you came from, the place you think of when you feel far from home.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 古 (gǔ, ancient) instead of 故 (gù), since both relate to the past and sound similar. 故乡 always uses 故 with the fourth tone, and 乡 is first tone xiāng, not xiǎng as in 想 (xiǎng, to think).
故乡 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
故 gù · happening · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
乡 xiāng · country or countryside · 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
Related words
Words that share a character with 故乡.
| 故事 | gùshi | old practice |
| 故意 | gùyì | deliberately; on purpose |
| 事故 | shìgù | accident |
| 家乡 | jiāxiāng | hometown; native place |
| 乡村 | xiāngcūn | rustic; village |
| 故障 | gùzhàng | malfunction; breakdown |
| 缘故 | yuángù | reason; cause |
| 老乡 | lǎoxiāng | fellow townsman; fellow villager; sb from the same hometown |
| 城乡 | chéng xiāng | city and countryside |
| 乡下 | xiāngxia | countryside; rural area |
| 乡亲 | xiāngqīn | person from one's hometown or home region; local people; folks |
| 无故 | wúgù | without cause or reason |
Questions about 故乡
What does 故乡 mean?
故乡 (gùxiāng) means "home; homeland" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 故乡?
故乡 is made of 2 characters: 故 (9 strokes), 乡 (3 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 故乡 an HSK word?
Yes. 故乡 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 故乡 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 故乡 is written 故鄉.
What is the difference between 故乡 and 家乡?
Both mean the place you come from. 家乡 (jiāxiāng) is neutral and used in daily conversation, while 故乡 sounds more poetic and nostalgic, often used when you are far away from that place.
Can 故乡 mean my home country, not just my hometown?
Yes. 故乡 can refer to a town, a region, or even a whole country, depending on context. Someone living abroad might call China their 故乡, though 祖国 (zǔguó) is the usual word for motherland.