外缘 (wài yuán) — (noun) outer edge, rim, periphery; outskirts; (Buddhism) external cause, external condition (opposite of 内缘)
Definition
Literally 'outer edge' (of an object or city's outskirts) and, in Buddhist usage, the external cause or condition that acts on something — paired with 内缘, the internal cause. The contrast with 内缘 is the one to remember.
noun
outer edgerimperipheryoutskirts(Buddhism) external causeexternal condition (opposite of 内缘)
Examples
- ,外缘。Zhè ge chéng shì kuò zhāng hěn kuài, wài yuán yǐ jīng jiàn le xǔ duō xīn lóu pán.This city is expanding quickly; many new residential buildings have been built in its outskirts.
- 外缘,。Bō li bēi de wài yuán mó dé hěn guāng huá, bú huì gē shāng shǒu.The rim of the glass is ground very smooth and won't cut your hand.
- 外缘。Fó jiào rèn wéi yí qiè xiàn xiàng dōu shì yóu nèi yuán hé wài yuán hé hé ér shēng.Buddhism holds that all phenomena arise from the combination of internal and external conditions.
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