Translation and Meaning of: 全国 - zenkoku

The Japanese word 全国 [ぜんこく] is a common term in everyday vocabulary and often appears in news, debates, and even in products. If you are studying Japanese or are curious about the meaning and use of this expression, this article will explore everything from its literal translation to relevant cultural contexts. Here at Suki Nihongo, our goal is to simplify language learning, so let's get straight to the point!

Meaning and Translation of 全国

In Portuguese, 全国 can be translated as "the whole country" or "national." The word is composed of two kanji: 全 (zen), which means "complete" or "whole," and 国 (koku), which represents "country" or "nation." Together, they form a term that encompasses the entirety of a national territory.

Unlike expressions such as 国内 (kokunai, "within the country"), 全国 has a broader sense. It appears in contexts like television broadcasts (全国放送 - national broadcast) or sports competitions (全国大会 - national championship).

Practical Use and Everyday Examples

In Japan, 全国 (zenkoku) is widely used in news and government statistics. Phrases like 全国的に (zenkoku-teki ni, "nationwide") are common in reports about weather, economy, or epidemics. Companies also use the term in slogans such as 全国配送 (delivery nationwide).

A common mistake among students is to confuse 全国 with 全域 (zen'iki, "entire area"). While the former specifically refers to a country, the latter can describe any complete region, such as a city or province. Pay attention to the context to avoid misunderstandings.

Curiosities and Memory Tips

An effective way to memorize 全国 is to associate it with large-scale events. For example, the famous high school baseball tournament 全国高等学校野球選手権大会 (Koshien) is broadcast across Japan — hence its cultural impact. This type of connection helps internalize the term.

According to the NHK Vocabulary Database, 全国 (zenkoku) is among the 3,000 most used words in Japanese media. Its frequency is comparable to terms like 社会 (shakai, "society") and 政府 (seifu, "government"), which demonstrates its practical utility for language learners.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 全土 (zendo) - All the territory
• 全域 (zen'iki) - All the scope or region
• 全地 (zenchi) - All the earth
• 全国家 (zenkokka) - The entire country
• 全国民 (zenkokumin) - All citizens of the country
• 全国的 (zenkokuteki) - National scope
• 全国規模 (zenkoku kibo) - National scale
• 全国規模の (zenkoku kibo no) - National scale (modifier)
• 全国的な (zenkokuteki na) - National (adjective)
• 全国的に (zenkokuteki ni) - Nationally
• 全国的規模 (zenkokuteki kibo) - Specific national scale
• 全国的規模の (zenkokuteki kibo no) - Specific national scale (modifier)
• 全国的規模に (zenkokuteki kibo ni) - On a national scale (adverb)
• 全国的規模を (zenkokuteki kibo wo) - Addressing the national scale (object of the action)
• 全国的規模で (zenkokuteki kibo de) - Nationally (mode or context)
• 全国的規模から (zenkokuteki kibo kara) - Starting from the national scale
• 全国的規模まで (zenkokuteki kibo made) - Up to the national scale
• 全国的規模と (zenkokuteki kibo to) - With the national scale
• 全国的規模に対して (zenkokuteki kibo ni taishite) - Regarding the national scale
• 全国的規模に関する (zenkokuteki kibo ni kansuru) - Regarding the national scale
• 全国的規模において (zenkokuteki kibo ni oite) - In terms of the national scale
• 全国的規模について (zenkokuteki kibo ni tsuite) - About the national scale
• 全国的規模による (zenkokuteki kibo ni yoru) - Due to the national scale
• 全国的規模を持つ (zenkokuteki kibo wo motsu) - To have a national scale

全国

Romaji: zenkoku
Kana: ぜんこく
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: all over the country; at the national level; the entire territory; national.

Meaning in English: country-wide;nation-wide;whole country;national

Definition: To include everyone in Japan.

Example Sentences - (全国) zenkoku

See below some example sentences:

全国には美しい景色がたくさんあります。

Zenkoku ni wa utsukushii keshiki ga takusan arimasu

There are many beautiful landscapes across the country.

• 全国 - it means "the whole country"
• には - it is a particle that indicates the existence of something in a specific place, in this case, "throughout the country"
• 美しい - It means "beautiful"
• 景色 - means "landscape" or "view"
• が - it is a particle that indicates the subject of the sentence, in this case, "landscape"
• たくさん - It means "many" or "much"
• あります - It is a verb that means "to exist" or "to have"