外食

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 外食(がいしょく) means eating a meal away from home, for example at a restaurant.
• Basic usage: It is used for going out for a family meal or contrasting such meals with eating at home.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The broader scope of 飲食
  • 飲食(いんしょく) refers broadly to eating and drinking without specifying a place. 外食 centers on having a meal away from home.