出门在外 (chū mén zài wài) — to be away from home, to live away from one's f…

Definition

A fixed phrase meaning 'to be away from home', often used as a frame for advice or reflections (e.g. 出门在外，安全最重要).

verb

to be away from hometo live away from one's family

出门在外，。
Wǒ chū mén zài wài yǐ jīng sān nián le, hěn xiǎng jiā.
I've been away from home for three years and I really miss my family.
出门在外，。
Tā cóng xiǎo jiù chū mén zài wài, xué huì le dú lì.
He has been away from home since childhood and learned to be independent.
出门在外，。
chū mén zài wài, Ān quán zuì zhòng yào.
When you are away from home, safety is the most important thing.

Characters in this word

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

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 門; 门 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 門 pictures a gate as two door shapes side by side; the simplified 门 is a later shorthand.

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

The early form of 在 used 才 for its sound; a second sound part 士 was added later, and that 士 became the 土 seen in 在.

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.

Appears in