家乡
jiāxiāng · HSK 3
home
🏠 家 (home) + 乡 (village/countryside) = hometown
家 means home or family; 乡 means village or rural area. Together 家乡 literally compounds to home-village, the place where someone is from — hometown or native land.
家 — roof 宀 + pig 豕
Originally a pictograph of a pig under a roof, since domesticated pigs were kept in or under the home in ancient China. Over time the meaning broadened from 'household' to 'family,' and by extension 'home' or a specialist (as in 专家, 'expert').
乡 — simplified form of 鄉; right side 阝(city/region)
Originally depicted two people facing each other across food vessels, showing a communal feast in a village. The meaning shifted from 'shared meal' to 'home village' and 'countryside.' The simplified form 乡 keeps a stylized trace of this scene.