例外 (lì wài) — (noun) exception; something that does not follo… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

例外 (lìwài) is the general word for 'an exception' or 'to be an exception' to a rule. 特例 names the unusual case itself; 除外 marks something as outside a set; 破例 means to bend a rule by allowing one.

noun

exceptionsomething that does not follow the norm

verb

to be an exceptionto be treated as an exception

Examples

，例外。
Jīn tiān xià dà yǔ, shàng bān chí dào kě yǐ lì wài yí cì.
It's raining heavily today, so being late for work can be treated as an exception this once.
，例外。
Jī hū suǒ yǒu rén dōu kǎo guò le, zhǐ yǒu tā shì lì wài.
Almost everyone passed the exam; only he is an exception.
，例外。
Gōng sī guī dìng hěn yán gé, zhè ge qǐng qiú bù néng lì wài.
The company rules are very strict; this request cannot be an exception.

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.

例lìexample or rule

外wàioutside

外 means outside; 例 means the usual example or rule, so 例外 is outside that.

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.

亻列例

Meaning part形符xíngfú

亻Written in full as人rén

Sound part声符shēngfú

列

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

例 is built from 亻, which relates to people, and 列, which gives the sound.

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

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.

Appears in

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