外国語

gai kokugo
noun★Beginner— foreign language
general

A language that is not native to the speaker or the country in which it is being used.

彼女は外国語でスピーチをしました。

She gave a speech in a foreign language.

💡

This term is commonly used to refer to any language other than one's native language.

Collocations

外国語学習foreign language learning外国語教育foreign language education

Antonyms

Related Phrases

外国語が話せるphrase
to be able to speak a foreign language

💡Pro Tip

Common Usage

外国語 is often used in formal and educational contexts to discuss language learning or communication in a non-native language.

📖Word Origin

Composed of 外 (gai, meaning 'outside' or 'foreign') and 国語 (kokugo, meaning 'national language').

📝Usage Notes

In Japanese, '外国語' typically refers to any language other than Japanese. It is often used in educational contexts to describe the study of languages like English, Chinese, or French.

Word Breakdown

外
outside, foreign
prefix
+
国語
national language
root
和英辞典