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外围 (wài wéi) — periphery, outer area; supporters or sympathizers (of an organization or movement); (in Chinese character structure) margin or outer encloser

Definition

外围 means the outer area surrounding a center, or the sympathizers on the fringe of an organization. It also names the outer encloser in a Chinese character structure.

noun
peripheryouter areasupporters or sympathizers (of an organization or movement)(in Chinese character structure) margin or outer encloser

Examples

  • 。
    Zhè ge chéng shì de wài wéi yǒu hěn duō xīn jiàn zhù.
    There are many new buildings on the periphery of this city.
  • 。
    Zhè ge zǔ zhī de wài wéi yǒu bù shǎo jiān dìng de zhī chí zhě.
    This organization has quite a few steadfast supporters on its periphery.
  • “”“”。
    "Guó" zì de wài wéi shì "kǒu".
    The outer margin of the character “国” is “口”.

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
围wéisurround

外 (outside) and 围 (surround) combine to mean the outer edge.

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 圍; 围 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
囗囗wéienclosure
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi圍wéi
Same sound today

The traditional form 圍 pairs 囗 (enclosure) with 韋, which gives the sound; 围 is the simplified form of 圍.

Open 围 →
Appears in
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