外形 (wài xíng) — external form, shape, figure | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

外形 is the outer look or shape of a physical object (a phone, a building). Compare 外观 (similar, often more product-style) and 形状 (the geometric shape itself).

noun

external formshapefigure

Examples

外形。
Zhè ge shǒu jī de wài xíng hěn hǎo kàn.
The shape of this phone is very nice.
外形。
Tā de wài xíng biàn huà hěn dà.
His appearance has changed a lot.
外形。
Zhè zhǒng jiàn zhù de wài xíng hěn tè bié.
The shape of this building is very special.

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

外 means outside, and 形 means shape.

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

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.

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

彡彡shān

Sound part声符shēngfú

井

井jǐng形xíng

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

形 is made from 彡 and 井, with 井 providing the sound.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 5 Shapes

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