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国外 (kokugai) Japanese meaning: outside the country | Kotomora

国こく外がい

こ

く

が

い

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

outside the country; abroad; overseas

Refers to the area outside a country's borders, often used in contrast with 国内 (inside the country). Common in news, legal, and travel contexts.

See also: 国内

彼かれは国こく外がいで長

なが

年ねん

暮く

らし

て

いる

。

He has been living abroad for many years.

国こく外がいからの観かん光こう客きゃくが増ふえている。

The number of tourists from overseas is increasing.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が国こく外がいに出でるfor someone to leave the country
彼かれは仕し事ごとのために国こく外がいに出でた。
He left the country for work.
国こく外がいに住すむto live abroad
父ちちは長なが年ねん国こく外がいに住すんでいる。
My father has been living abroad for many years.
国こく外がいへ逃にげるto flee abroad
犯はん人にんは国こく外がいへ逃にげたと見みられている。
The suspect is believed to have fled abroad.

Kanji

国country
外outside

Related words

海かい外がいN4
海外 is the everyday word for 'overseas' or 'abroad', used in travel and casual conversation, while 国外 is more formal and typical of legal or official contexts.
外がい国こくN5
外国 refers to a specific foreign country as a place, whereas 国外 refers more abstractly to the general area outside one's own country's borders.
在ざい外がい
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.

Opposites

国こく内ないN4
国内 means 'inside the country' or 'domestic', the direct opposite of 国外, which means 'outside the country'.

Don't confuse with

国こく内ない外がい
国外 refers only to outside the country (abroad), whereas 国内外 explicitly covers both inside and outside the country.

Word family

国こく外がい脱だっ出しゅつ
fleeing abroad; escaping the country
国こく外がい追つい放ほう
deportation; expulsion from a country
国こく外がい退たい去きょ
deportation
国こく外がい逃

Etymology

Compound of 国 (country) and 外 (outside). The reading is the standard on'yomi combination.

とう

亡ぼう

fleeing the country; flight abroad

国こく外がい駐ちゅう在ざい

overseas posting; expatriate assignment

日本にほん国こく外がい

outside Japan; overseas (from Japan)