州しゅう

noun, noun, used as a suffix

state; province; regional administrative division

Used for subnational administrative units in foreign countries: U.S. or Australian states, Canadian provinces, U.K. counties, Italian regions, Swiss cantons, Russian oblasts, and similar units. Very common as a suffix after a place name.

• 彼かれはカリフォルニア州しゅうに住すんでいる。

  He lives in the state of California.

• アメリカでは、州しゅうによって法ほう律りつが違ちがう。

  In the United States, laws differ from state to state.

noun, noun, used as a suffix

continent

Geography use for a continent or continental-scale region, especially in compounds such as 六大州 or 五大洲. In ordinary speech, 大陸 is often the more transparent word for a physical continent.

• 地ち理りの授じゅ業ぎょうで六ろく大だい州しゅうを習ならった。

  We learned the six continents in geography class.

noun, used as a suffix

old Japanese province

Historical suffix referring to an old province of Japan, parallel to 国 in older place names. It remains visible in traditional regional names such as 信州 and 甲州.

See also: 国

• 信しん州しゅうは、昔むかしの信濃国しなののくにに由ゆ来らいする呼よび名なだ。

  Shinshū is a name derived from the old province of Shinano.

noun, noun, used as a suffix

ancient Chinese province; prefecture; department

Historical administrative term in Chinese contexts. Depending on period and translation convention, 州 may be rendered as province, prefecture, or department.

• 唐とう代だいには、州しゅうが地ち方ほう行ぎょう政せいの単たん位いとして置おかれた。

  In the Tang period, zhou were established as units of local administration.

suffix

dear; beloved

Archaic suffix placed after a person's name to express affection or endearment. This is not a productive modern honorific.

• 古ふるい文ぶん章しょうでは、人じん名めいの後うしろに付つく「州しゅう」が親しん愛あいを表あらわす敬けい称しょうとして説せつ明めいされる。

  In old writing, 州 attached after a person's name is explained as an affectionate honorific.