Japanese symbol for “outer”
外側
そとがわ
Romaji: sotogawa
exterior; outside; outer; external
In Japanese, outer is 外側, read そとがわ (sotogawa).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- adj-no, n exterior; outside; outer; external; lateral
Written forms: 外側、外がわ. Readings: そとがわ、がいそく.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “outer”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 上 | うわ uwa | upper; upward; outer |
| アウター | アウター autaa | outer |
| 外なる | そとなる sotonaru | outer (self, etc.); external (conflict, tension, competition, etc.) |
| ＯＵＴ | アウト auto | outer; external; outside |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 海外 | かいがい kaigai | foreign; abroad; overseas |
| 外国 | がいこく gaikoku | foreign country |
| 以外 | いがい igai | excluding; except (for); apart from |
| 外交 | がいこう gaikou | diplomacy |
| 意外 | いがい igai | unexpected; surprising; unanticipated |
| 外部 | がいぶ gaibu | outside (e.g. of a building); exterior |
| 側面 | そくめん sokumen | side; flank; profile |
| 内側 | うちがわ uchigawa | inside; interior; inner part |
See also: Chinese symbol for “outer”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.