What is the Kanji for "Outside"?

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for "Outside", you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for "Outside" is "外".

This kanji has 4 readings:

Its kunyomi readings are "Soto" and "Hazu".

Its onyomi readings are "Ge" and "Gai".

kunyomi readings are based on the pronunciation of native Japanese words, and onyomi readings are based on the Chinese pronunciation of the character.

If you visually breakdown this kanji, you can see is made up of 2 parts:

The kanji "夕" means "Evening" and can be read as "Yuu" and "Seki". And The radical "卜" means "Divination" .

Now, let's make sure you understand this kanji the other way around too.

What does the kanji "外" mean in japanese?

"外" means "Outside".

Japanese School Students learn this kanji in Second Grade, while foreigners may learn this kanji in preparation for the JLPT N5 exam.

Here are some words that use this kanji:

外: "Outside". The noun '外 (そと)' means 'outside'. It refers to the area or space that is not enclosed or contained within something. It can be used to describe the outdoors, or the area beyond the boundaries of a location. For example: I went outside to play - (外に出て遊びました). She stayed outside while we had the meeting - (私たちが会議をしている間、彼女は外にいました).

以外: "Except" or "Other than". The noun '以外 (いがい)' means 'except' or 'other than'. It is used to indicate that something is excluded from a group or list. For example: Everyone came to the party except me - (私以外みんな来た). This also works with more than one item: I ate everything in the fridge except the leftovers - (残り物以外全て食べた).

外人: "Foreigner". The Japanese noun '外人 (がいじん)' means 'foreigner'. This word is used to refer to a person who is not Japanese, typically someone from another country. It can be used in a neutral or sometimes slightly derogatory way. For example: Many foreigners visit Japan every year - (毎年多くの外人が日本を訪れる). I saw a foreigner on the street - (通りに外人を見かけた).

外国人: "Foreigner". The Japanese noun '外国人 (がいこくじん)' refers to a person who is not a citizen or native of the country they are currently in. It is used to describe someone who comes from a different country. This word is neutral in its connotation and can be used to simply state the person's nationality, without any particular judgment or opinion. For example: The foreigner enjoyed his time in Japan - (外国人は日本での時間を楽しんだ). I met a foreigner at the park - (公園で外国人に会った).

外国語: "Foreign language". The Japanese noun '外国語 (がいこくご)' refers to a language that is not the native or primary language of a particular country or region. It is used to describe languages that are learned and spoken as a second or additional language. For example: I am studying a foreign language - (外国語を勉強しています). She speaks many foreign languages - (彼女は多くの外国語を話します).

外国: "Foreign country". The noun '外国 (がいこく)' means 'foreign country'. It refers to a country other than one's own, especially when the context is from the perspective of a specific nation or culture. This word is often used to describe places, people, customs, or products that originate from nations outside of one's native land. For example: I visited a foreign country last summer - (私は先夏、外国を訪れました). He is interested in the culture of foreign countries - (彼は外国の文化に興味があります).

海外: "Foreign". The noun '海外 (かいがい)' means 'foreign'. This word refers to places, countries, or regions that are outside one's own country or homeland. It is commonly used to describe international destinations, travel, or business dealings. For example: I went on a trip to a foreign country - (私は海外の国に旅行に行きました). Foreign companies are expanding into our market - (海外の企業が私たちの市場に進出しています).

外す: "Remove". The verb '外す (はずす)' means 'to remove'. This verb is used to describe the act of taking something off, disconnecting, or detaching an object from another. It can be used in various contexts, such as removing clothes, unscrewing a lid, or detaching a component from a larger device. For example: I removed the lid from the jar - (わたしはびんのふたをはずした). The mechanic removed the tire from the car - (メカニックは車のタイヤをはずした).

意外: "Unexpected". The adjectival noun '意外 (いがい)' means 'unexpected'. This word is used to describe something that is surprising or not expected. It can be used to express that an event, situation, or outcome was unanticipated or contrary to one's expectations. For example: That was an unexpected result - (それは意外な結果でした). I found the news very unexpected - (その知らせは私にとても意外なものでした).

外出: "Going out". The verbal noun '外出 (がいしゅつ)' means 'going out'. This term is used to refer to the act of leaving one's home or current location and going to another place. It is a very common expression used to describe the action of departing from a place, such as: I'm going out now - (今外出します). She often goes out on weekends - (彼女は週末によく外出する).

外食: "Eat out". The verbal noun '外食 (がいしょく)' means 'to eat out' or 'to dine out'. It refers to the act of having a meal at a restaurant, cafe, or other establishment outside of one's home. This word is commonly used to describe the habit or preference of eating food prepared by others rather than cooking at home. For example: I often eat out for lunch - (昼食は外食することが多い). We ate out at a nice restaurant last night - (昨晩、素敵なレストランで外食しました).

外来語: "Loanword". The Japanese noun '外来語 (がいらいご)' refers to words that have been borrowed from other languages, especially European languages like English, and incorporated into the Japanese language. These loanwords are commonly used in modern Japanese and have become an integral part of the language. For example: That word is a loanword - (あの言葉は外来語です). I use a lot of loanwords in my speech - (私の話にはたくさん外来語が出てきます).

国外: "Abroad". The noun '国外 (こくがい)' means 'abroad'. It refers to being or happening outside one's own country. This word is often used to describe travel, living, events, or any activity that takes place in a foreign country. For example: I traveled abroad last year - (私は昨年国外に行った). The university has many exchange students from abroad - (大学には国外からの交換留学生がたくさんいる).

外部: "Outside". The noun '外部 (がいぶ)' refers to the outside, exterior, or external part of something. It is used to describe things that are on the outside or exterior of an object, space, or organization, as opposed to the inside or interior. For example: The outside of the building was painted recently - (その建物の外部は最近塗装された). There are many security cameras installed in the outside of the office - (事務所の外部には多くの防犯カメラが設置されている).

外交: "Diplomacy". The Japanese noun '外交 (がいこう)' refers to diplomacy or international relations. It encompasses the activities and policies involved in managing relationships between countries. This includes negotiations, agreements, and the exchange of information and viewpoints between governments and their representatives. For example: Improving diplomacy between the two countries - (2つの国の外交を改善する). Good diplomatic relations - (良好な外交関係).

案外: "Unexpectedly". The adverb '案外 (あんがい)' means 'unexpectedly'. It is used to express that something happened in a way that was different from what one expected. It conveys a sense of surprise or the unexpected. For example: It turned out unexpectedly well - (案外うまくいった). The weather is unexpectedly nice today - (案外今日の天気がいい).

例外: "Exception". The noun '例外 (れいがい)' means 'exception'. This word refers to a situation or case that does not follow the normal rule or pattern. It is used to describe something that is different or unusual compared to the general standard or expectation. For example: That restaurant is an exception, they are open on Sundays - (あのレストランは例外で日曜日も開いている). This rule has an important exception - (この規則には重要な例外がある).

外相: "Foreign minister". The Japanese noun '外相 (がいしょう)' refers to the foreign minister, the cabinet member responsible for a country's foreign policy and diplomatic relations. The '外相' is a top government official who represents the country internationally and oversees the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For example: The foreign minister met with his counterpart from the neighboring country - (外相は隣国の外相と会談した).

外観: "Appearance". The Japanese noun '外観 (がいかん)' means 'appearance'. It refers to the outward look or visible aspect of something. It can be used to describe the physical appearance of an object, person, or place. For example: The building has an elegant appearance - (その建物は優雅な外観をしている). The appearance of the product is very appealing - (その製品の外観はとてもよい).

外貨: "Foreign currency". The noun '外貨 (がいか)' refers to 'foreign currency', money that is issued by a country other than one's own. It is used when discussing financial transactions, investments, or exchange rates involving currencies from different countries. For example: I need to exchange my dollars for foreign currency - (私は外貨に両替する必要がある). The weak yen has made foreign currency more expensive - (円安で外貨が高くなっている).

外れる: "Come off" or "Detach". The Japanese verb '外れる (はずれる)' means 'to come off' or 'to detach'. This verb is used to describe when something is separated from another thing, such as a button coming off a shirt or a wheel coming off a car. It can also be used for more abstract concepts, like an idea or plan not aligning with expectations. For example: The button came off my shirt - (ボタンが服からはずれた). The wheel detached from the car - (車のタイヤがはずれた).

外務省: "Foreign office". The Japanese noun '外務省 (がいむしょう)' refers to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the government agency responsible for Japan's foreign policy and diplomatic relations. This ministry handles a wide range of international affairs, including negotiating treaties, managing embassies and consulates, and representing Japan in global organizations. For example: The foreign office announced a new trade agreement - (外務省は新しい貿易協定を発表した).

外科: "Surgery". The Japanese noun '外科 (げか)' refers to the medical field of surgery. It encompasses the diagnosis and treatment of injuries, diseases, and deformities through operative procedures. This field requires specialized training and expertise to perform complex procedures on the human body. For example: He is a doctor in the surgery department - (彼は外科の医師です). The surgeon performed a successful operation - (外科医は手術に成功した).

外側: "Outside". The noun '外側 (そとがわ)' refers to the outer side, exterior or outside of something. It is used to describe the outer surface, edge or boundary of an object, place or area. For example: The outside of the house is painted white - (家の外側は白く塗られている). The outside of the city is surrounded by farmland - (街の外側は農地に囲まれている).

外れ: "Outside" or "Miss". The noun '外れ (はずれ)' has two main meanings. The first meaning is 'outside' or 'beyond', referring to something that is not within a certain area or boundary. For example: The house is located outside the city - (その家は町の外れにある). The second meaning is 'miss' or 'failure', referring to a shot or attempt that does not hit the intended target. For example: My shot missed the target - (私の狙いはずれた).

郊外: "Suburb". The Japanese noun '郊外 (こうがい)' refers to the residential or industrial areas located on the outskirts of a city or metropolitan area, outside the central urban zone. Suburbs are often characterized by lower population density, more open spaces, and residential housing. For example: We live in the suburbs - (私たちは郊外に住んでいます). The suburb has many shopping malls - (郊外には多くのショッピングモールがあります).

町外れ: "Outskirts". The Japanese noun '町外れ (まちはずれ)' means 'outskirts'. It refers to the peripheral or outlying areas of a town or city, often characterized by less dense population and development compared to the central parts. Example sentences: They live in the outskirts of the city - (彼らは町外れに住んでいる). The apartment is located in the outskirts, away from the busy downtown area - (そのアパートは町外れにあり、賑やかな中心部から離れている).

外務: "Foreign affairs". The Japanese noun '外務 (がいむ)' means 'foreign affairs'. It refers to the government department or ministry responsible for a country's diplomatic relations and international affairs. This includes managing relationships with other countries, negotiating treaties and agreements, and representing the nation's interests on the global stage. For example: The foreign affairs minister met with his counterpart - (外務大臣は相手国の大臣と会談した). The foreign affairs ministry released a statement - (外務省は声明を発表した).

外来: "Foreign". The Japanese noun '外来 (がいらい)' means 'foreign'. This word refers to something that originates from or is associated with a country or culture other than Japan. It can be used to describe imported goods, foreign visitors, or influences from abroad. For example: Foreign cuisine - (外来料理). The hospital has a foreign patient - (その病院には外来患者がいる).

内外: "Inside and outside" or "Domestic and foreign". The Japanese noun '内外 (ないがい)' can mean either 'inside and outside' or 'domestic and foreign'. It is used to refer to the relationship or contrast between something that is internal/domestic and something that is external/foreign. For example: The inside and outside of the house look the same - (家の内外はよく似ている). The domestic and foreign policies of the government differ - (政府の内外政策は違う).

To make really sure you learn this Kanji, I've prepared an interactive lesson for you. You are going to learn the readings and meanings of this kanji.

But first, you need to know a little bit about Hiragana and Katakana.

Hiragana and katakana are japanese syllabaries, this means that each character represents a syllable.

This are the characters you need to know for this lesson:

The hiragana "げ" is read as "ge". The hiragana "が" is read as "ga". The hiragana "い" is read as "i". The hiragana "そ" is read as "so". The hiragana "と" is read as "to". The hiragana "は" is read as "ha". And The hiragana "ず" is read as "zu".

Heres a quick tutorial on how to use it. You'll be asked three type of questions: meaning, reading, and writing.

For meanings questions all you have to do is type the english meaning. If there is more than one meaning, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Reading questions you have to type the reading in romaji (roman letters, our normal alphabet) and it'll be automatically converted to hiragana if necessary. If there is more than one reading, you have to include them all in your answer separating them by commas (,).

For Writing questions some options will appear and all you have to do is select the correct ones.