flag

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 旗 has 14 strokes; the word 旗 is read はた, and 国旗 is read こっき.
• Basic usage: 旗 broadly denotes a flag; 国旗 is a national flag representing a country.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A flag as a landmark and a national flag
  • 旗を目印に means using a flag as a visible landmark. Like a white flag on a sports field, a 旗 can serve purposes beyond identifying a country.
  • 参加国の国旗 denotes the national flags of participating countries. 国旗 is read こっき, with a small っ followed by き.