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在外 (ざいがい, zaigai) Japanese meaning: overseas | Kotomora

在ざい外がい

ざ

い

が

い

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

overseas; abroad

Used attributively (often with の) to describe people, assets, or activities located outside Japan. Common in formal and news contexts.

在ざい外がい公こう館かんは海かい外がいに住

す

む

日本にほん

人じん

を

支し

援えん

し

て

いる

。

Overseas diplomatic missions support Japanese citizens living abroad.

彼かれは在ざい外がい研けん究きゅう員いんとしてアメリカに派は遣けんされた。

He was dispatched to the United States as an overseas researcher.

Usage patterns

在ざい外がいの〈人ひと〉people who are living/residing abroad
在ざい外がいの日本にほん人じんにも選せん挙きょ権けんが認みとめられている。
Japanese nationals living abroad are also granted the right to vote.

Kanji

在exist, outskirts, suburbs
外outside

Related words

海かい外がいN4
海外 is the common, standalone word for 'overseas', while 在外 is a more formal, attributive term usually used before another noun as in 在外公館.
国こく外がいN1
国外 emphasizes being outside the country's borders (often legal/administrative contexts), whereas 在外 stresses residing or existing abroad, especially of people or assets.
在ざい米べい
在外 broadly means 'being overseas' without specifying which country, whereas 在米 pinpoints the United States.

Opposites

国こく内ないN4
国内 means 'domestic, within the country', the direct opposite of 在外 'located abroad'.
在ざい日にちN1
在日 describes someone or something located in Japan, while 在外 describes someone or something located abroad, outside Japan.

Word family

在ざい外がい公こう館かん
diplomatic mission; overseas diplomatic establishment
在ざい外がい投とう票ひょう
overseas ballot; absentee voting from abroad
在ざい外がい資し産さん
foreign assets; overseas assets
在ざい外がい

Etymology

Compound of 在 (ざい, 'to be located') and 外 (がい, 'outside'), literally 'being outside [the country]'.

邦ほう

人じん

Japanese nationals living abroad; overseas Japanese

在ざい外がい日本にほん人じん

Japanese residing abroad; overseas Japanese

在ざい外がい研けん究きゅう員いん

research fellow abroad; overseas researcher