外 (wài) — outside (as a location)
Definition
As a single character, 外 (wài) is a bound root meaning 'outside' — usually combined with a suffix like 边, 面, or 国. Standalone usage in HSK 1 is rare; learners will more often meet 外边 and 外面.
noun
outside (as a location)
Examples
- 。Tā zài mén wài.He is outside the door.
- 。Qǐng zhàn wài miàn.Please stand outside.
- 。Wǒ men qù wài miàn wán.We are going outside to play.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
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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