also: よそもん
Refers to someone from outside a community, group, or region; often carries a nuance of not belonging.
In the village, strangers are quickly noticed.
He is treated as an outsider in this town.
他人 means 'another person' or 'stranger' in a general sense, while よそ者 specifically emphasizes being from outside a particular group or community.
部外者 is a more formal term for 'outsider' or 'unauthorized person', often used in official contexts, whereas よそ者 is more colloquial and carries a stronger sense of not belonging.
他所者 means someone from elsewhere with no local roots, the opposite of a 生え抜き who was born and raised in the place.
Standard kanji spelling.
Rarely used kanji form.
Alternate kanji spelling.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing.
Search-only kana form; not a standard reading.
Compound of よそ (elsewhere, another place) + 者 (person). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word has been used since at least the Edo period to refer to outsiders.