Learn Japanese while reading Manga with our new Manga Reader Tool!

Nihongo

Classroom

How to say 'Foreign language' in Japanese | 外国語

Wondering how to say 'Foreign language' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Foreign language is 'Gaikokugo', written as 外国語 in Japanese.'Foreign language' in hiragana is がいこくご.

    word

    外国語

    Meaning

    Foreign language

    Reading

    がいこくご

    gaikokugo

    Kanji

    外Outside 国Country 語Language, Word

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '外国語 (がいこくご)' means 'foreign language'. This word refers to any language that is not one's native language. It is commonly used in contexts related to language learning, education, or communication with non-native speakers. For example: I am studying a foreign language 「私は外国語を勉強しています」 (わたしはがいこくごをべんきょうしています). He can speak several foreign languages 「彼はいくつかの外国語を話せます」 (かれはいくつかのがいこくごをはなせます). The word is often used in combination with other terms, such as '外国語学習 (がいこくごがくしゅう)' (foreign language study) or '外国語教育 (がいこくごきょういく)' (foreign language education).

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N5

    Kanji Grade

    2

    Frequency

    688

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 外国語

This word contains 3 kanji characters:

  • kanji

    外

    Meaning

    Outside

  • kanji

    国

    Meaning

    Country

  • kanji

    語

    Meaning

    Language, Word

Words Related to 外国語 Through the Kanji 外

These 29 Words contain the Kanji 外 as well.

  • word

    外

    Meaning

    Outside

  • word

    以外

    Meaning

    Except

  • word

    外人

    Meaning

    Foreigner

  • word

    外国人

    Meaning

    Foreigner

  • word

    外国

    Meaning

    Foreign country

  • word

    海外

    Meaning

    Overseas

  • word

    外す

    Meaning

    Remove, Miss

  • word

    意外

    Meaning

    Unexpected

  • word

    外出

    Meaning

    Outing

  • word

    外食

    Meaning

    Eating out

  • word

    外来語

    Meaning

    Loanword

  • word

    国外

    Meaning

    Abroad

  • word

    外部

    Meaning

    Outside

  • word

    外交

    Meaning

    Diplomacy, Foreign relations

  • word

    案外

    Meaning

    Unexpectedly

  • word

    例外

    Meaning

    Exception

  • word

    外相

    Meaning

    Foreign minister

  • word

    外観

    Meaning

    Appearance

  • word

    外貨

    Meaning

    Foreign currency

  • word

    外れる

    Meaning

    Detach, Miss

  • word

    外務省

    Meaning

    Foreign affairs

  • word

    外科

    Meaning

    Surgery

  • word

    外側

    Meaning

    Outside

  • word

    外れ

    Meaning

    End, Miss

  • word

    郊外

    Meaning

    Suburbs

  • word

    町外れ

    Meaning

    Outskirts

  • word

    外務

    Meaning

    Foreign affairs

  • word

    外来

    Meaning

    Foreign

  • word

    内外

    Meaning

    Inside outside, Domestic foreign

Words Related to 外国語 Through the Kanji 国

These 47 Words contain the Kanji 国 as well.

  • word

    国

    Meaning

    Country

  • word

    中国

    Meaning

    China

  • word

    国民

    Meaning

    Citizen

  • word

    国家

    Meaning

    Nation

  • word

    国際

    Meaning

    International

  • word

    帰国

    Meaning

    Return

  • word

    外国人

    Meaning

    Foreigner

  • word

    外国

    Meaning

    Foreign country

  • word

    全国

    Meaning

    Nationwide

  • word

    韓国

    Meaning

    Korea

  • word

    国内

    Meaning

    Domestic

  • word

    米国

    Meaning

    USA

  • word

    帝国

    Meaning

    Empire

  • word

    諸国

    Meaning

    Countries

  • word

    国々

    Meaning

    Countries

  • word

    国外

    Meaning

    Abroad

  • word

    出国

    Meaning

    Departure

  • word

    国交

    Meaning

    Relations

  • word

    国鉄

    Meaning

    National railway

  • word

    国費

    Meaning

    National funds

  • word

    国名

    Meaning

    Country name

  • word

    国会

    Meaning

    Parliament

  • word

    国産

    Meaning

    Domestic

  • word

    英国

    Meaning

    Britain

  • word

    国際的

    Meaning

    International

  • word

    国際化

    Meaning

    Internationalization

  • word

    国連

    Meaning

    UN

  • word

    国語

    Meaning

    National language, Japanese language

  • word

    国立

    Meaning

    National

  • word

    各国

    Meaning

    Countries

  • word

    国王

    Meaning

    King

  • word

    国旗

    Meaning

    Flag, National flag

  • word

    国籍

    Meaning

    Nationality

  • word

    国境

    Meaning

    Border

  • word

    王国

    Meaning

    Kingdom

  • word

    両国

    Meaning

    Both countries

  • word

    入国

    Meaning

    Entry, Immigration

  • word

    本国

    Meaning

    Home country

  • word

    天国

    Meaning

    Heaven

  • word

    戦国

    Meaning

    Warring, States

  • word

    箇国

    Meaning

    Countries

  • word

    歩行者天国

    Meaning

    Pedestrian zone

  • word

    自国

    Meaning

    Home country

  • word

    国土

    Meaning

    Land

  • word

    大国

    Meaning

    Power, Nation

  • word

    国道

    Meaning

    Highway

  • word

    我が国

    Meaning

    Our country

Words Related to 外国語 Through the Kanji 語

These 14 Words contain the Kanji 語 as well.

  • word

    語

    Meaning

    Word

  • word

    語る

    Meaning

    Tell

  • word

    英語

    Meaning

    English

  • word

    言語

    Meaning

    Language

  • word

    物語

    Meaning

    Tale

  • word

    敬語

    Meaning

    Honorifics

  • word

    外来語

    Meaning

    Loanword

  • word

    語学

    Meaning

    Languages

  • word

    共通語

    Meaning

    Common language

  • word

    用語

    Meaning

    Term

  • word

    国語

    Meaning

    National language, Japanese language

  • word

    単語

    Meaning

    Word

  • word

    和語

    Meaning

    Native word

  • word

    物語る

    Meaning

    Indicate, Tell

Learn the Word 外国語

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Gaikokugo' (外国語) mean?

'Gaikokugo' means 'Foreign language' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.