門もん外がい漢かん

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Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

noun

outsider; layman; amateur

Refers to someone who is not a specialist or lacks knowledge in a particular field. Often used humbly about oneself or to describe someone outside a professional circle.

私わたしは経けい済ざい学がくについては門もん外がい漢かんです。
I am a layman when it comes to economics.
彼かれは医い学がくの門もん外がい漢かんだから、その診しん断だんは信しん用ようできない。
He's an outsider to medicine, so I can't trust that diagnosis.

See all 7 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈事こと〉に(関かんして)は門もん外がい漢かんだto be an outsider/layman when it comes to a subject
経けい済ざいに関かんしては門もん外がい漢かんだ。
I'm no expert when it comes to economics.
門もん外がい漢かんながら〈動どう詞し〉though being an outsider/layman, to do something
門もん外がい漢かんながら意い見けんを述のべさせていただきます。
Though I'm not an expert, allow me to offer my opinion.

Kanji

門gate, counter for cannons
外outside
漢Sino-, China

Related words

素人しろうとN2
素人 is the general word for an amateur or non-professional, while 門外漢 specifically stresses being outside a particular field of expertise.
専せん門もん外がい
専門外 describes a subject or area that lies outside someone's specialty, whereas 門外漢 refers to the person who lacks that expertise.
部ぶ外がい者しゃ
部外者 means someone not belonging to a particular organization or group, while 門外漢 is about lacking knowledge in a field rather than group membership.

Opposites

専せん門もん家かN2
専門家 is a specialist or expert, the direct opposite of 門外漢, who is an outsider lacking expertise.

Built from

門もん外がい+漢かん

Etymology

From 門外 (outside the gate) + 漢 (man), literally 'a man outside the gate', referring to someone outside a particular school or field of knowledge.