外
outside
Details
Stroke Order
Component Breakdown
evening + 卜
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.
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
外柔内剛
がいじゅうないごう
gentle but firm; gentle but firm
奇想天外
きそうてんがい
fantastic; bizarre; incredible; fantastic
内憂外患
ないゆうがいかん
troubles both at home and abroad; 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; (treasuring something by) never taking (it) off the premises
局外中立
きょくがいちゅうりつ
neutrality; neutrality
治外法権
ちがいほうけん
extraterritoriality; extraterritoriality
内柔外剛
ないじゅうがいごう
tough on the outside but soft at heart; 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; diplomatic turn of phrase
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; being tough on the outside but soft at heart
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; gentle on the outside but tough on the inside
有頂天外
うちょうてんがい
beside oneself with joy; in raptures; in an ecstasy of delight; beside oneself with joy
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; putting on a knowing air when one only knows the title of the book (play, etc.)
心外千万
しんがいせんばん
being totally upset (by); being completely nonplussed (by); being mortified (at); being totally upset (by)
善隣外交
ぜんりんがいこう
good-neighbor diplomacy; a good-neighbor policy; good-neighbor diplomacy
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; Buddhist revelation through intuitive discernment
内疎外親
ないそがいしん
superficially cordial but actually uninterested; 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; light at the end of the tunnel
Poetry
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
Poem #73 from Hyakunin Isshu