門もん戸こ

も

ん

こ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

Often used figuratively for an entrance or opening, especially in phrases like 門戸を開く (open the door to) or 門戸を閉ざす (shut the door on).

大だい学がくは社しゃ会かいに門もん戸こを開ひらいている。
The university is open to the community.
その国くには外がい国こく企き業ぎょうに門もん戸こを閉とざした。
The country shut its doors to foreign companies.

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Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に門もん戸こを開かい放ほうするto fully open (an institution or country) to outsiders
大だい学がくは留りゅう学がく生せいに門もん戸こを開かい放ほうした。
The university opened its doors to international students.
〈相あい手て〉に門もん戸こを広ひろげるto widen access or opportunity for someone
政せい府ふは移い民みんに門もん戸こを広ひろげる方ほう針しんを発はっ表ぴょうした。
The government announced a policy to widen its doors to immigrants.
門もん戸こを狭せばめるto narrow the path of entry or opportunity
新あたらしい規き制せいは起き業ぎょう家かへの門もん戸こを狭せばめた。
The new regulations narrowed the door of opportunity for entrepreneurs.
〈分ぶん野や〉の門もん戸こが開ひらかれるfor a field or institution to become open to newcomers
この分ぶん野やの門もん戸こが女じょ性せいにも開ひらかれるようになった。
This field has come to open its doors to women as well.

Expressions

門もん戸こを張はるkeep a fine house; put up a front; make the front of the house nice (and be pretentious about it)
門もん戸こを開ひらくopen the door; open up
門もん戸こを閉とざすclose the door (to); shut out; exclude

Kanji

門gate, counter for cannons
戸door, counter for houses, door radical (no. 63)

Related words

扉とびらN1
扉 is a literary word for a door or gate that, like 門戸, is often used figuratively for an opportunity or opening, while 門戸 leans more toward the idea of an entrance to a group or institution.
ドアN5
ドア is the everyday word for a physical door, while 門戸 is more formal and usually used metaphorically for access or opportunity.
戸とN1
戸 refers to a traditional Japanese sliding door or shutter, whereas 門戸 refers more broadly to a gateway, often in a figurative sense of access.

Word family

門もん戸こ開かい放ほう
open door policy

Etymology

Compound of 門 (gate) and 戸 (door). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination has long been used to mean a door or entrance, both literal and figurative.