1.
outside the gate; outside the premises
Literally, the area outside a gate or entrance.
門外に出る。
To go outside the gate.
門外不出の秘伝のたれを使っている。
They use a secret sauce recipe that has never been shared outside the family.
門外に漏らすな。
Don't let it leak outside.
2.
outside one's field of expertise; being an outsider
Figuratively, being outside one's area of expertise or specialization. Most commonly used in the compound 門外漢.
コンピューターに関しては門外漢だ。
When it comes to computers, I'm a complete outsider.
私は医学の門外漢なので詳しいことは分からない。
I'm a layperson in medicine, so I don't understand the details.
法律の門外漢にも分かりやすく説明してほしい。
I'd like an explanation that's easy to understand even for someone outside the legal field.
Composed of 門 (gate) and 外 (outside). The literal meaning refers to the area outside a gate, but the word is most commonly encountered in two set compounds.
KEY COMPOUNDS:
- 門外漢: layperson, outsider — someone outside a particular field of expertise
- 門外不出: never shared outside (the family/school/group) — used for secret techniques, recipes, or treasures
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 門外漢だ: to be a layperson/outsider
- 門外不出の: kept strictly within the group
- 門外に漏らす: to leak outside
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 素人: amateur, layperson — more casual and common in everyday speech
- 部外者: outsider — someone not belonging to a particular group or organization