外流 (wài liú) — (noun) outflow; drain (of resources, people, or talent)

Definition

A formal written noun for unwanted outflow of valued resources — money, oil, talent — usually from a country or organization. Almost always appears as a modifier (人才外流, 资金外流), not as a standalone word.

noun
outflowdrain (of resources, people, or talent)

Examples

  • 外流。
    Rén cái wài liú dǎo zhì gōng sī fā zhǎn huǎn màn.
    The outflow of talent has slowed the company's development.
  • 外流。
    Zhè ge guó jiā de shí yóu wài liú wèn tí hěn yán zhòng.
    This country's oil outflow problem is very serious.
  • 外流。
    Zhèng fǔ cǎi qǔ cuò shī fáng zhǐ zī jīn wài liú.
    The government takes measures to prevent capital outflow.

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
流liúflow

外 (outside) and 流 (flow) give the idea of flowing outward, as resources or people.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㐬
㐬㐬流liú
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

流 has 水, water, and 㐬, which gives the sound. The water part matches meanings such as flow.

Open 流 →

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