祖国
zǔguó · HSK 6
mother country
🏠🇨🇳 祖 ancestor + 国 country = ancestor-land, motherland
祖 (zǔ) means ancestor or forefather, 国 (guó) means country or nation. Together they form the concept of the land of your ancestors — your motherland, homeland, or fatherland.
国 — enclosure 囗 + jade 玉
国 is a simplified form of 國. The outer 囗 represents borders or an enclosed territory, while the inner 玉 (jade) suggests a treasured realm ruled by a sovereign. The traditional 國 used 或 inside, depicting a guarded region with a weapon, later simplified by replacing it with 玉.