Definitions
(noun)
countryside; rural area
(noun)
hometown; native place
(noun)
township
About
The character "乡" originates from its traditional form "鄉", which graphically depicted two figures facing a central vessel, representing the idea of people sharing a meal together. This structure points to its earliest meaning of a communal feast or a gathering, which naturally extended to denote the community or the place where such social bonds were formed. Over time, its application shifted from the act of communal dining to specify the social unit itself, becoming an administrative term for a rural district or a suburban area. The simplified form "乡" retains only a schematic outline of this original composition, abstracting the shared meal into a more geometric form. In modern usage, the character has largely shed its administrative specificity to convey a more general and sentimental concept of one’s native place or hometown, embodying the idea of a shared origin and collective identity.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我的家乡在农村。
乡村的空气很新鲜。
我喜欢回乡下去。
故乡的风景让我怀念。
每年春节我们都回乡。
乡村生活比城市生活宁静。
虽然我住在城市，但心系故乡。
对于海外游子，思乡之情难以言表。