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里
“village / league (distance)” in Japanese is 里, read ri, sato (り, さと). It is a Grade 2 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 2 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 故郷 (hometown).
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What does 里 mean?
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夏休みに母の里へ帰る。
なつやすみにははのさとへかえる。I go to my mother's hometown for summer break.
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Full details, readings & example
| Kanji | 里 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | village / league (distance) |
| Readings | り, さと |
| Grade | Grade 2 (Easy) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 故郷 (hometown) |
How to read 里
里 is read ri (り) or sato (さと) depending on the word.
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Updated: 2026-08-28