～以外

• Reading: いがい
• Romaji: igai
• Formation: Noun + 以外 (+ に/は/の)
• Kanji breakdown: 以 (by means of) + 外 (outside)

Meaning

A dependent noun meaning 'other than,' 'besides,' or 'except for.' It attaches to nouns and nominalized phrases to exclude a specific item or group from a broader set.

以外 marks the boundary of exclusion: everything outside the named item falls within the statement's scope. It can follow nouns directly (日本以外), verb plain forms (食べる以外), or noun phrases with の. When combined with the particle に, it emphasizes the additive sense of 'in addition to.' Unlike ほか, which can imply either 'other than' or 'another of the same kind,' 以外 strictly marks exclusion. The negative pattern 以外ない means 'there is no choice but.' In formal writing, 以外の is used attributively before nouns.

Examples

1. 肉以外なら何でも食べられます。 I can eat anything as long as it's not meat.
2. 日曜日以外は毎日仕事があります。 I have work every day except Sunday.
3. この件について彼以外の人には話していない。 I haven't told anyone other than him about this matter.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 水以外の飲み物は持ち込み禁止です。
• 彼女以外にこの仕事を頼める人がいない。
• 平日以外はジムに通っています。

Don't Say

• 肉以外も食べられます。(Using も instead of なら/は after 以外 when meaning 'anything except meat' — も implies 'meat too' which reverses the meaning) → 肉以外なら何でも食べられます。
• 日本語以外で英語が話せます。(Using で instead of に after 以外 for listing additional abilities — the correct particle is に for 'in addition to') → 日本語以外に英語が話せます。

Origin & History

以外 is composed of the kanji 以 (by means of) and 外 (outside), literally meaning 'outside of.' It has been used since classical Chinese-influenced Japanese writing.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal