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外加 (wài jiā) — (conjunction) in addition, plus, moreover

Definition

A conjunction meaning 'in addition' or 'plus' — usually lists an extra item or burden tacked onto what was just mentioned. Colloquial and concrete; closer in tone to 还有 than to formal 并且.

conjunction
in additionplusmoreover

Examples

  • ，外加。
    Tā mǎi le cài, wài jiā yì xiē shuǐ guǒ.
    He bought vegetables, plus some fruit.
  • ，外加。
    Tā gōng zuò hěn máng, wài jiā hái yào zhào gù hái zi.
    He is very busy with work, and in addition he has to take care of the kids.
  • ，外加。
    Fáng zū liǎng qiān, wài jiā shuǐ diàn fèi.
    Rent is two thousand, plus utilities.

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.

外wàiin addition
加jiāadd

外 means 'in addition' and 加 means 'add', so the sense is 'plus'.

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
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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

加 pairs 力 and 口. In one explanation 力 is strength and 口 is the mouth, meaning exaggeration; in another 力 is plowing effort and 口 is breath or exclamation, meaning extra effort.

Open 加 →
Appears in
Cause, Effect & Logic

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