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N5 · 5 strokes · — · Irodori #386 · Elementary 2 L14
外
outside
Stroke diagrams © KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Readings
- On’yomi
- ガイ、ゲ
- Kun’yomi
- そと、と-、はず・す、はず・れる、ほか
Example words
外
そと
outside; exterior
外
がい
outside ...; beyond ...
外国人
がいこくじん
foreigner; foreign citizen
外交
がいこう
diplomacy
Memory aids
Guided learn session →How to remember
Shape
Evening (夕) + divination (卜) — reading signs outside at dusk; outside.
Components
Remember "outside" (外) by connecting it to its Irodori vocabulary context.
Anchor word
外国 (がいこく) — your first meeting with this kanji in Irodori.
Readings
First learned in 外国 (がいこく) — recall the word to unlock the reading. Kun'yomi: そと、と-、はず・す、はず・れる、ほか — often used in native Japanese words. On'yomi: ガイ、ゲ — common in compound words (熟語).