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圏外 (kengai) Japanese meaning: outside an area | Kotomora

圏けん外がい

け

ん

が

い

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

outside an area; out of range; out of contention

Used for physical areas, network coverage, radar range, spheres of influence, and competitive standing. Often contrasted with 圏内.

See also: 圏内

ここは携けい帯たいの圏けん外がいだ。

This place is out of mobile phone range.

彼かれの成せい績せきでは合ごう格かく圏けん外がいだ。

With his grades, he's out of contention for passing.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉が圏けん外がいになるfor a device to go out of (signal) range
山やまの中なかに入はいると携けい帯たいが圏けん外がいになった。
My phone lost signal once I went into the mountains.
圏けん外がいに出でるto move out of range
トンネルに入はいってから電でん波ぱの圏けん外がいに出でてしまった。
After entering the tunnel, I ended up out of signal range.
〈数かず〉位い圏けん外がいoutside the top rankings; out of contention
彼かれのチームは今こんシーズン、優ゆう勝しょう圏けん外がいに転てん落らくした。
His team fell out of contention for the championship this season.

Kanji

圏sphere, circle, radius
外outside

Related words

範はん囲い外がい
圏外 specifically describes being outside a network, radar, or competitive range, whereas 範囲外 is a more general term for being outside any defined scope or boundary.
域いき外がいN1
圏外 usually refers to being outside a signal or coverage range (like a phone signal), whereas 域外 refers more broadly to being outside a defined area or jurisdiction.

Opposites

圏けん内ないN1
圏外 means being outside a defined area or range, while 圏内 means being inside it.

Don't confuse with

欄らん外がい
欄外 (margin of a page) and 圏外 (out of range, e.g. no phone signal) look similar because both end in 外, but they refer to completely different things.
県けん外がい
県外 (outside the prefecture) and 圏外 (out of range, e.g. no phone signal) are pronounced identically but refer to completely different things.
枠わく外がい
圏外 usually refers to being out of a physical or signal range (e.g. no phone reception), whereas 枠外 refers to being outside a defined category, budget, or set of rules.

Word family

大たい気き圏けん外がい
outside Earth's atmosphere; outer space; exoatmosphere
通つう信しん圏けん外がい
out of communication range; outside the service area

Etymology

Compound of 圏 (sphere, range) and 外 (outside).