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外表 (wài biǎo) — outward appearance, external surface

Definition

The 'outward appearance' of a person or thing, often contrasted with what's on the inside. 表面 is broader (any surface, including of arguments/behavior); 外观 is the physical exterior of objects, not people.

noun
outward appearanceexternal surface

Examples

  • 外表，。
    Zhè zuò dà lóu de wài biǎo hěn xiàn dài, dàn nèi bù zhuāng xiū hěn chuán tǒng.
    The exterior of this building is very modern, but the interior decoration is very traditional.
  • 外表。
    Pàn duàn yí gè rén bù néng zhī kàn wài biǎo.
    You can't judge a person just by their appearance.
  • 外表，。
    Zhè zhǒng shuǐ guǒ de wài biǎo shì hóng sè de, lǐ miàn shì bái sè de.
    This fruit has a red skin and white flesh inside.

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wàioutside
表biǎosurface

外 means outside and 表 means surface, so 外表 is the outward surface or appearance.

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.

The shape 表 pairs 衣 (garment) with 毛 (hair or feather), originally an outer garment.

Open 表 →
Appears in
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