Category: GeographyPart of speech: nounDifficulty: Intermediate

島国

/shimaguni/Roman

English meaning: Island Nation

Japanese Definition

(日本語)

島国とは、一つまたは複数の島で構成される国家を指す。日本の島国としての性質は、その歴史・文化・アイデンティティを深く形成してきた。歴史的には文化の選択的吸収と鎖国を可能にし、地政学的には脆弱性と自然の防衛力の両面をもたらした。また、海上貿易への依存もこの地理的条件に由来する。

English Definition

A nation consisting of one or more islands. Japan's status as an island nation has profoundly shaped its history, culture, and identity — historically enabling cultural selectivity and isolation (sakoku), and strategically creating both vulnerability and natural defense. The island geography also explains Japan's reliance on maritime trade.

Example

島国という地理的条件は日本の歴史と文化に深く影響しています。

In English: The geographic condition of being an island nation has deeply influenced Japan's history and culture.

Synonyms

  • 列島
  • 海洋国家

Antonyms / Opposites

  • 内陸国

Literary Heritage

月日は百代の過客にして、行きかふ年もまた旅人なり

/Tsukihi wa hakudai no kakaku ni shite, yukikau toshi mo mata tabibito nari/

The months and days are the wayfarers of a hundred ages; the years that come and go are also travelers.

Matsuo Basho · Haiku Poet · 17th century CE

Oku no Hosomichi

Oku no Hosomichi, opening prose, 1689

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Language
日本語
Japanese
Script
Kana+Han
Family
Japonic
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