そと
外
ぼり
堀
　
を
う
埋
　
め
　
る

expression, Ichidan verb

Idiomatic expression.
  1. to remove obstacles in the way of one's objective, to take an indirect approach, to fill in the outer moat.

Variations

Pronunciation Kanji Kana Is Common
そと
外
ぼり
堀
　
を
う
埋
　
め
　
る
 外堀を埋める そとぼりをうめる

Contained Kanji Breakdown

outside
ガイ　そと　はず.す (2nd, N5)
evening
ゆう　セキ　ゆ (1st, N4)
divining, fortune-telling, divination or katakana to radical (no. 25)
ボク　うらな.う　うらない (Kentei Pre-1)
ditch, moat, canal
ほり　ほっ　クツ (Early High School, N1)
soil, earth, ground
ド　つち　は (1st, N5)
yield, bend, flinch
クツ　くっ　かが.む (Early Jr. High, N1)
corpse, remains, flag radical (no. 44)
シ　かたしろ (Kentei 1)
exit, leave, go out
で.る　だ.す　シュツ (1st, N5)
mountain
やま　サン　セン (1st, N5)
bury, be filled up, embedded
う.める　マイ　うず.める (Late Jr. High, N2)
soil, earth, ground
ド　つち　は (1st, N5)
ri, village, parent's home
さと　リ　さ (2nd)
rice field, rice paddy
た　デン　たん (1st, N4)