全国（ぜんこく、zenkoku）
- nationwide

The Japanese word 全国 (ぜんこく, zenkoku) means "nationwide," "national," or "throughout the country." It refers to something that spans the entirety of a country, typically Japan. It can describe a variety of things, including locations, events, competitions, or even abstract concepts like trends or popularity. 全国 implies broad coverage and accessibility across the whole nation.

⚫︎全国大会 Translation: National Tournament ⚫︎全国旅行 Translation: Nationwide travel ⚫︎全国展開のビジネス Translation: Nationwide business expansion

You use 全国 when discussing anything that encompasses the entire country. For example, if you're talking about a competition open to participants from all over Japan, you'd use 全国. Similarly, if you're discussing a product sold or a service offered everywhere in Japan, you would also use 全国. It's a very common word in Japanese and essential for expressing ideas related to the country as a whole.

全国 is typically written with the kanji. The reading is ぜんこく in hiragana. There is no other common way to write this.

⚫︎国内 (こくない, kokunai) - "Domestic," but more specifically within the country. While it can overlap, it's not always the best alternative. ⚫︎日本全国 (にほんぜんこく, nihon zenkoku) - This literally means "All of Japan," and emphasizes the totality.

⚫︎地域 (chiiki) - "Region" or "area," which is the opposite of nationwide. ⚫︎地方 (chihō) - "Region" or "locality." Similar to 地域. ⚫︎一部 (ichibu) - "A part" or "a portion," contrasting with the whole nation.

そのイベントは、全国から参加者が集まります。 ・Translation: Participants gather from all over the country for that event. ・Explanation: This sentence describes an event that attracts people from all parts of Japan.

この商品は全国のコンビニで販売されています。 ・Translation: This product is sold in convenience stores nationwide. ・Explanation: This indicates that the product is available in convenience stores throughout Japan.

The word 全国 is formed by combining the kanji 全 (zen) meaning "whole," "all," or "entire," and 国 (koku) meaning "country" or "nation." Therefore, 全国 literally means "the whole country."