What does 県 mean in Japanese?
県 means “prefecture” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 県 (prefecture), 県庁 (prefectural office), and 県立 (prefectural).
For learners, the key is to study 県 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: ケン (ken)
Kun’yomi: —
Basic Information
| Kanji | 県 |
|---|
How to Understand This Kanji
県 is not limited to one English translation. In 県 (けん), it means prefecture; in 県庁 (けんちょう), it points to prefectural office; and in 県立 (けんりつ), it is used for prefectural. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 県（けん / ken） — prefecture
- 県庁（けんちょう / kenchō） — prefectural office
- 県立（けんりつ / kenritsu） — prefectural
- 県内（けんない / kennai） — within the prefecture
- 県外（けんがい / kengai） — outside the prefecture
- 石川県（いしかわけん / ishikawaken） — Ishikawa Prefecture
Example Sentences
-
千葉県に住んでいます。
ちばけんにすんでいます。 / Chiba-ken ni sunde imasu.
I live in Chiba Prefecture.
-
県庁の近くで会いましょう。
けんちょうのちかくであいましょう。 / Kenchō no chikaku de aimashō.
Let’s meet near the prefectural office.
-
出身県を教えてください。
しゅっしんけんをおしえてください。 / Shusshin-ken o oshiete kudasai.
Please tell me your home prefecture.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 県 (けん / ken) because it keeps the core meaning of 県 clear. Then add 県庁 and 県立 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 県 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
県 means “prefecture” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 県, 県庁, and 県立.