外
outside
Readings
On'yomi
- ガイ
- ゲ
Kun'yomi
- そと
- ほか
- はず.す
- はず.れる
- と-
Nanori
- うい
- け
- ふか
Meaning
外 centers on the concept of outside: the exterior, beyond a boundary, or something other than the inside.
Most common words using 外
24 of 1,070- 以外いがいN4
excluding; except (for); apart from; other than; besides; in addition to
- 外そとN5
outside; exterior
- 外がい
outside ...; beyond ...; not included in ...
- 海外かいがいN4
foreign; abroad; overseas
- 外国がいこくN5
foreign country
- 外部がいぶN2
outside (e.g. of a building); exterior
- 意外いがいN3
unexpected; surprising
- 外れるはずれるN3
to be disconnected; to get out of place; to be off; to be out (e.g. of gear)
- 外交がいこうN3
diplomacy
- 外すはずすN3
to remove; to take off; to detach; to unfasten; to undo
- 外出がいしゅつN2
going out; outing; leaving (one's home, office, etc.)
- 外科げかN3
surgery (branch of medicine)
- 例外れいがいN2
exception
- 外側そとがわN3
exterior; outside; outer; external; lateral
- 外見がいけんN3
outward appearance; looks
- 案外あんがいN3
unexpectedly; surprisingly
- 国外こくがいN1
outside the country; abroad
- 野外やがいN1
outdoors; outside; open air
- 外観がいかんN1
outward appearance; exterior appearance; outward show; looks
- 郊外こうがいN4
suburb; residential area on the outskirt of a city; commuter belt
- 除外じょがいN1
exception; exclusion
- 外来がいらいN1
foreign; imported
- 外人がいじんN1
foreigner (esp. one of European ancestry); gaijin; whitey
- 外食がいしょくN3
eating out; dining out
Study
Etymology
外 combines 夕 (evening) and 卜 (divination). The traditional explanation is that divination was performed in the evening, outside the normal daily activities, giving the sense of 'outside'.
Meaning mnemonic
At evening (夕), a fortune-teller (卜) goes outside to read the stars. The scene of stepping out at night captures the idea of outside.
Reading mnemonic
For ガイ, imagine a guy stepping outside in the evening to do some fortune-telling: guy -> ガイ.