noun HSK 4
Traditional 鄉
countryside · rural area · hometown · village
Meaning
乡 refers to rural areas, the countryside, or one's native place outside of cities. It often carries nostalgic or cultural significance, evoking images of agricultural life and traditional communities. The character is commonly used in compounds to distinguish rural from urban contexts.
Usage
Native speakers use 乡 primarily in compounds rather than alone. Common patterns include 家乡 (hometown), 乡下 (the countryside), and 乡村 (rural village). It often appears in formal or literary contexts when discussing rural-urban divides, agricultural policy, or hometown sentiments.
Examples
- 01他每年春节都会回乡看望父母。.He returns to his hometown every Spring Festival to visit his parents.
- 02我的家乡是一个美丽的小山村。.My hometown is a beautiful small mountain village.
Common collocations
- 乡下人country person, rural folk
- 回乡to return to one's hometown
- 乡音local accent, accent of one's hometown
- 思乡to be homesick
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 鄉 originally depicted people eating together from a shared vessel, representing a community or locality. The simplified form 乡 is a modern simplification.