外

音読おんよみ: ガイ・ゲ

訓読くんよみ: そと・ほか・はず

画数かくすう: 5 strokes

部首ぶしゅ: 夕(ゆうべ)

Meaning

Outside — used to describe location beyond or apart from something

  • 外国がいこく — foreign country
  • 外出がいしゅつ — going out
  • 外人がいじん — foreigner
  • 海外かいがい — overseas
  • 外食がいしょく — eating out

This character originally implied separation from a boundary or place. It appears in daily life when talking about foreign places, leaving home, or locations beyond a known space.

今日きょうそとひるごはんをべました。
I ate lunch outside today.

来年らいねん外国がいこく予定よていです。
I plan to go abroad next year.

国
Creates
外国がいこく — foreign country
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