国連
こくれん · kokuren · JLPT N1 · noun
nitrogen
🌍 国 (country) + 連 (league, union) = countries joined together in one league
連 means to link or join, as in 連合 (alliance). 国連 literally joins many countries into one body.
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.