外国語（がいこくご、gaikokugo）
- foreign language

The Japanese word 外国語 外国語 means "foreign language." It refers to any language that is not the native language of the speaker or the people being discussed. It encompasses all languages from around the world besides the native language of the speaker.

⚫︎ 日本語と外国語 Translation: Japanese and a foreign language ⚫︎ 外国語を勉強する Translation: To study a foreign language ⚫︎ 彼はいくつかの外国語を話せる Translation: He can speak several foreign languages

You use 外国語 外国語 in situations where you are talking about languages other than your own. For example, when discussing learning a foreign language, the ability to speak another language, or the study of languages. It is a general term applicable to all languages other than the speaker's native tongue.

外国語 外国語 is written using the kanji 外国 (がいこく - foreign country) and 語 (ご - language, word). The reading is typically written in hiragana as がいこくご. There is only one standard way to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

There aren't many direct synonyms, but words that could be used in a similar context include: ⚫︎ 第二言語 (だいにげんご) - Second language (if referring to a language learned after the native language) ⚫︎ 語学 (ごがく) - Linguistics/Language study (when referring to the study of foreign languages generally)

⚫︎ 母語 (ぼご) - Native language ⚫︎ 自国語 (じこくご) - One's own language (specifically, the language of one's own country)

私は大学で外国語を学びたいです。 ・Translation: I want to study a foreign language at university. ・Explanation: This sentence expresses a desire to study a language that is not the speaker's native tongue at a higher education institution.

彼は多くの外国語の映画を字幕なしで見ることができます。 ・Translation: He can watch movies in many foreign languages without subtitles. ・Explanation: This sentence describes someone's ability to watch movies in languages other than their own, highlighting their proficiency in those languages.

The word 外国語 外国語 is a compound word formed from 外国 meaning "foreign country" and 語 meaning "language." Therefore, it literally means "foreign country language." The combination of these kanji accurately reflects the concept of a language originating from a country other than the speaker's.