The kanji 外 generally conveys the meaning of "outside," "external," or "foreign." It indicates something that is not within a specific boundary, space, or group. It can refer to physical locations, abstract concepts, or relationships.

・On-yomi (音読み): ガイ, ゲ ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): そと, はず-す, はず-れる

⚫︎ 外国（がいこく） Translation: Foreign country ⚫︎ 外（そと） Translation: Outside ⚫︎ 外（はず）す Translation: To remove, to take off

The kanji 外 is a pictograph. The original form depicted a crescent moon (representing a closed area) with a dot or a stroke outside of it. The meaning evolved to represent "outside" or "beyond" the enclosed area. The stroke gradually changed into the horizontal stroke seen in the modern form of 外.