外国製(がいこくせい)

Compound of 外国(がいこく) ('foreign country') and the suffix 〜製(せい) ('made in; manufactured by'), which combines productively with country names and other nouns to form origin-of-manufacture labels: 日本製(にほんせい) ('made in Japan'), 中国製(ちゅうごくせい) ('made in China'), 手(て)製(せい) ('handmade'), 木製(もくせい) ('wooden').

Usage

• Most commonly attaches directly to a noun without の: 外国製(がいこくせい)家電(かでん), 外国製(がいこくせい)車(くるま).
• The の form — 外国製(がいこくせい)の時計(とけい) — is also fully standard and slightly more explicit.
• Can stand alone as a predicate: この靴(くつ)は外国製(がいこくせい)だ.
• Not a positive or negative word in itself, but in advertising contexts it is often associated with premium or specialty goods, while 国産(こくさん) carries a 'trusted local' image.

Common collocations

• 外国製(がいこくせい)の車(くるま): foreign-made car
• 外国製(がいこくせい)家電(かでん): imported home appliances
• 外国製(がいこくせい)の部品(ぶひん): foreign-made parts
• 外国製(がいこくせい)の時計(とけい): foreign-made watch

Similar words

• 国産(こくさん): domestically produced; Japan-made — the direct antonym.
• 舶来(はくらい): imported from overseas — older, slightly literary word with a nostalgic, high-class nuance.
• 輸入品(ゆにゅうひん): imported goods — focuses on the customs / trade side rather than on place of manufacture.
• 海外製(かいがいせい): made overseas — near-synonym of 外国製(がいこくせい), with 海外(かいがい) sounding a touch softer than 外国(がいこく).