外す

• Reading: はずす
• Romaji: hazusu
• Kanji breakdown: 外 (hazusu/gai/soto) — outside, remove, external
• Pronunciation: /ha.zɯ.sɯ/

Meaning

To remove; to unfasten; to take off. Also means to miss a target or to leave one's seat.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb conjugated with the す row. The transitive pair of 外れる (to come off). Used for removing accessories (眼鏡を外す, remove glasses), missing a target (的を外す), leaving one's seat (席を外す), and excluding someone from a group. 席を外す is a polite way to say someone is away from their desk in business contexts.

Examples

1. 暑いのでマスクを外した。 It was hot, so I took off my mask.
2. シュートが的を外して壁に当たった。 The shot missed the target and hit the wall.
3. 田中さんは今席を外しております。 Mr. Tanaka is away from his desk at the moment.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, business, sports

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 外 means outside or external. With す ending, it means to put something outside or detach it from its place.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal