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境外 (jìng wài) — outside a country's borders, overseas (as a location noun referring to places or entities beyond one's own country)

Definition

Used as a formal, written noun meaning 'outside a country's borders' — contrasts with 境内 ('domestic'). Compared to 海外 ('overseas'), 境外 is more official/bureaucratic and can attach to organizations or funds, not just regions.

noun
outside a country's bordersoverseas (as a location noun referring to places or entities beyond one's own country)

Examples

  • 境外。
    Hěn duō gōng sī xiǎng jìn rù jìng wài shì chǎng.
    Many companies want to enter overseas markets.
  • 境外。
    Tā cháng nián zài jìng wài gōng zuò.
    He works abroad year-round.
  • 境外。
    Zhè bǐ qián lái zì jìng wài.
    This money comes from overseas.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

境jìngborders
外wàioutside

境, the borders, and 外, outside, give 'outside the borders'.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
竟
竟jìng境jìng
Same sound today

境 pairs 土 (earth) with 竟, which gives the sound; the 土 part carries the meaning.

Open 境 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
卜卜bǔ
Sound part声符shēngfú
月
月yuè外wài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.

Open 外 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9International & Diplomacy

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