外侧 (wài cè) — the outside, the outer side

Definition

Literary/formal noun meaning 'the outside, the outer side' — used more in writing than everyday speech, where 外面 is more common.

noun

the outsidethe outer side

外侧。
Zhè tiáo lù de wài cè yǒu yì tiáo rén xíng dào.
There is a sidewalk on the outer side of this road.
外侧。
Dà lóu de wài cè tú chéng le bái sè.
The outside of the building is painted white.
外侧。
Qǐng cóng wài cè rào guò qù.
Please go around from the outside.

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.

外 means outside, and 侧 means side, giving the outer side.

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

Sound part声符shēngfú

月

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.

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 側; 侧 is its simplified writing.

亻則側

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

則

則zé側cè

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 側 has 亻, a person, and uses 則 to show its sound. The simplified 侧 is a later shorthand.

Appears in