乡 (xiāng) - countryside & rural area
乡 · xiāng
countryside;
rural area;
native place;
hometown;
village
countrysiderural areanative place
Usage highlights
hometowncountrysiderural areafellow townsmannative placerural custom
Usage & contexts
Examples
- I miss my hometown (家乡).
- They live in the countryside (乡下).
- This is a rural custom (乡俗).
- We visited a mountain village (山村).
Collocations
- hometown(家乡)
- countryside(乡下)
- rural area(乡村)
- fellow townsman(同乡)
- native place(故乡)
- rural custom(乡俗)
Idioms
- Leaving home with tears in one's eyes(背井离乡)
- Returning home in fine clothes(衣锦还乡)
- Unable to return home(无颜见江东父老)
Cultural background
FAQ- Represents the concept of 'native place' which is deeply important in Chinese culture where people maintain strong ties to their ancestral homes.
- Traditionally contrasted with urban areas (城), representing simpler, more authentic ways of life.
- The character evolved from an ancient pictograph showing two people facing each other over food, representing a communal gathering place.