外 means “outside”

そと · soto

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

そと, ほか, はずす, はずれる, と-

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ガイ, ゲ

JLPT N5 · Taught in grade 2 · 5 strokes

The story

Evening (夕) divination performed beyond the walls, outside the boundary of the known. Take off your shoes at the door: in Japan the line between 外 and inside is sacred.

Used in 外国 (gaikoku, foreign country), 外出 (gaishutsu, going out), and 海外 (kaigai, overseas)

Words with 外

• 外国 (がいこく, gaikoku): foreign country
• 外人 (がいじん, gaijin): foreigner

More from Compass & Position

• 下 below
• 以 from
• 区 ward
• 北 north
• 所 place
• 西 west
• 南 south
• 図 map
• 右 right
• 左 left
• 中 inside
• 後 behind

Learn 外 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.