外

On'yomi

ガイ・ゲ

GAI / GE

Kun'yomi

そと・ほか・はず.す・はず.れる・と-

soto / hoka / hazusu / hazureru / to

outside

Details

Strokes5

Frequency#81

Radical夕evening(3)

Stroke Order

Strokes5

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of '夕' (evening) and '卜' (divination). Place for evening divination - outside the home.

Symbolism

Exterior, foreign, openness. Contrasted with '内' to express Japanese in-out consciousness.

Component Breakdown

外=

夕卜

evening + 卜

Words & Expressions

Words written with 外

外れはずれverge

外すはずすremove

外来がいらいforeign

市外しがいsuburbs

この外このほかbesides

Four-Character Compounds

外柔内剛

がいじゅうないごう

gentle but firm

奇想天外

きそうてんがい

fantastic; bizarre; incredible

内憂外患

ないゆうがいかん

troubles both at home and abroad

門外不出

もんがいふしゅつ

(treasuring something by) never taking (it) off the premises

局外中立

きょくがいちゅうりつ

neutrality

治外法権

ちがいほうけん

extraterritoriality

内柔外剛

ないじゅうがいごう

tough on the outside but soft at heart

外交辞令

がいこうじれい

diplomatic turn of phrase; diplomatic language; tactful way of expressing something

外剛内柔

がいごうないじゅう

being tough on the outside but soft at heart; a faint-hearted person pretending to be brave

内剛外柔

ないごうがいじゅう

gentle on the outside but tough on the inside; an iron hand in a velvet glove

有頂天外

うちょうてんがい

beside oneself with joy; in raptures; in an ecstasy of delight

外題学問

げだいがくもん

putting on a knowing air when one only knows the title of the book (play, etc.); pretending to understand the nature of something when one only knows its name

心外千万

しんがいせんばん

being totally upset (by); being completely nonplussed (by); being mortified (at)

善隣外交

ぜんりんがいこう

good-neighbor diplomacy; a good-neighbor policy

教外別伝

きょうげべつでん

Buddhist revelation through intuitive discernment; spiritual awakening cannot be experienced with words and letters; spiritual enlightenment can be attained only by means of communion of mind with mind

内疎外親

ないそがいしん

superficially cordial but actually uninterested

雲外蒼天

うんがいそうてん

light at the end of the tunnel; relief after overcoming hardship; open sky beyond the clouds

Poetry

和歌（百人一首） (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

高砂のをのへの桜咲きにけり外山のかすみ立たずもあらなむ

The cherries on the high slopes of Takasago have bloomed. May the mist on the nearer hills not rise to hide them.

前中納言匡房前中納言匡房

Unknown