國

• 囗 (This character is used unofficially as a shorthand for 國 and 圍.)
• 𡆸 (Also a variant of 日.)
• 𡆻, 𡇎, 𡇏, 𡇕, 𡈑, 𢦾, 𢧌, 𤦒, 𤦂

國 (Kangxi radical 31, 囗+8, 11 strokes, cangjie input 田戈口一 (WIRM), four-corner 6015₃, composition ⿴囗或)

• 𬿓, 嘓, 𪤑, 𫱣, 幗, 𢐚, 慖, 摑, 漍, 𤡓, 槶, 𤎍, 𤔩, 𪼓, 膕, 𥊞, 𥕏, 𦄰, 蟈, 𧤯, 𫏜, 𨉹, 𨫵, 𩠲, 𧰒, 𩪐, 𪅦
• 𢧷, 𣂽, 爴, 𭍲, 𭺙, 𤮋, 𭍷, 𫛐, 𰀖, 蔮, 簂, 𡳚, 𢠝

• 国 (Japanese shinjitai and Simplified Chinese)

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 219, character 16
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 4798
• Dae Jaweon: page 447, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 720, character 9
• Unihan data for U+570B

Historical forms of the character 國
Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Phono-semantic compound (形聲／形声, OC *kʷɯːɡ) : semantic 囗 (“closure”) + phonetic 或 (OC *ɡʷɯːɡ).

The k-prefix derivation of 域 (OC *ɢʷrɯɡ, “boundary; territory”). Cognate with 閾 (OC *qʰʷrɯɡ, “threshold”) and 囿 (OC *ɢʷɯs, *ɡʷɯ, “park; garden”).

No obvious outside cognate exists. It may be related to Burmese ကွက် (kwak, “to be marked with a square or circular pattern; to be confined to a certain area”) (Schuessler, 2007).

國

1. country; nation; nation-state; kingdom

   建國／建国  ―  jiànguó  ―  to establish a country

   利國利民／利国利民  ―  lì guó lì mín  ―  to benefit the country and the people

   國營／国营  ―  guóyíng  ―  state-operated; state-run

   • 子曰：「道千乘之國，敬事而信，節用而愛人，使民以時。」 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     子曰：「道千乘之国，敬事而信，节用而爱人，使民以时。」 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Analects of Confucius, c. 475 – 221 BCE, translated based on James Legge's version

     Zǐ yuē: “Dào qiānshèng zhī guó, jìngshì ér xìn, jiéyòng ér àirén, shǐ mín yǐ shí.” [Pinyin]

     The Master said, "To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men; and the employment of the people at the proper seasons."

   • 你們要先求他的國和他的義，這些東西都要加給你們了。 [MSC, trad.]
     你们要先求他的国和他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 新標點和合本 (Chinese Union Version with New Punctuation), 馬太福音 (Matthew) 6:33

     Nǐmen yào xiān qiú tā de guó hé tā de yì, zhèxiē dōngxi dōu yào jiā gěi nǐmen le. [Pinyin]

     [S]eek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

2. (obsolete) capital

   • 先王之制，大都不過參國之一。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     先王之制，大都不过参国之一。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: Commentary of Zuo, c. 4^th century BCE

     Xiānwáng zhī zhì, dàdū bù guò sān guó zhī yī. [Pinyin]

     According to the regulations of the former kings, such a city of the first order can have its wall only a third as long as that of the capital.

   • 登斯樓也，則有去國懷鄉，憂讒畏譏，滿目蕭然，感極而悲者矣。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     登斯楼也，则有去国怀乡，忧谗畏讥，满目萧然，感极而悲者矣。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 1046, 范仲淹 (Fan Zhongyan), 岳陽樓記

     Dēng sī lóu yě, zé yǒu qùguó huáixiāng, yōuchánwèijī, mǎnmù xiāorán, gǎn jí ér bēi zhě yǐ. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

3. (obsolete) to make a place the capital city; to establish a capital

   • 國於豳。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     国于豳。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: The Records of the Grand Historian, by Sima Qian, c. 91 BCE

     Guó yú Bīn. [Pinyin]

     He made his capital at Pin.

4. (obsolete or in compounds) place; region

   山國／山国  ―  shānguó  ―  mountainous country; hilly region

   水鄉澤國／水乡泽国  ―  shuǐxiāngzéguó  ―  region full of rivers, lakes or canals

   • 紅豆生南國，春來發幾枝。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     红豆生南国，春来发几枝。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 8th century, 王維 (Wang Wei), 相思 (xiāngsī)

     Hóngdòu shēng nánguó, chūn lái fā jǐ zhī. [Pinyin]

     (please add an English translation of this usage example)

5. (in compounds) national; representing a nation

   國旗／国旗  ―  guóqí  ―  national flag

   國歌／国歌  ―  guógē  ―  national anthem

   國花／国花  ―  guóhuā  ―  national flower

6. Short for 國語／国语 (guóyǔ, “Mandarin”).
7. Short for 國民黨／国民党 (Guómíndǎng, “Kuomintang”).

   國共內戰／国共内战  ―  Guó Gòng Nèizhàn  ―  the Chinese Civil War

8. domestic; of our country (in many contexts meaning Chinese)

   國產、日產／国产、日产  ―  guóchǎn, rìchǎn  ―  made domestically; made in Japan

   國畫／国画  ―  guóhuà  ―  traditional Chinese painting

   國貨／国货  ―  guóhuò  ―  domestic goods (China-made goods)

9. Classifier for countries (quasi-measure word).

   你會說幾國語言？ [MSC, trad.]
   你会说几国语言？ [MSC, simp.]

   Nǐ huì shuō jǐ guó yǔyán? [Pinyin]

   How many languages ​​do you speak?

10. a surname