韓国

kankoku

South Korea

韓国は日本の隣国です。

South Korea is Japan's neighboring country.

formal

The Republic of Korea, a country in East Asia

私は韓国に行ったことがあります。

I have been to South Korea.

韓国料理が好きです。

I like Korean cuisine.

Often contrasted with 北朝鮮 (North Korea) in Japanese media.

Collocations

韓国人Korean person韓国語Korean language韓国ドラマKorean drama

韓国 refers exclusively to South Korea. 北朝鮮 (North Korea) is a separate country, often treated with political sensitivity in Japanese media.

From Korean 한(韓) + 国(국/國), meaning 'Korean country'. Adopted into Japanese during the early 20th century.

Used as a neutral term for the country; avoid 政治的な文脈 (political contexts) unless necessary.

韓

Korea (short for 韓国)

root

国

country

root

和英辞典