里外 (lǐ wài) — inside and out; (both) inner and outer

Definition

里外 means 'inside and out / both sides' — it stresses that everything (interior AND exterior) is covered, not just one side. Often pairs with 都 or 全 to emphasize completeness, as in 里外都…

noun
inside and out(both) inner and outer

Examples

  • 里外。
    Zhè jiān wū zi lǐ wài dōu fěn shuā guò le.
    This room has been painted inside and out.
  • ，里外。
    Tā chuān le yí jiàn hēi sè de wài tào, lǐ wài dōu shì xīn de.
    He wore a black coat that was new both inside and out.
  • 里外，。
    Zuò zhè jiàn shì lǐ wài dōu hěn nán, xū yào hěn duō nài xīn.
    Doing this is difficult from all sides, requiring a lot of patience.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

里lǐinside
外wàioutside

Inside and outside together give the sense of inner and outer aspects.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衤Written in full as衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ裡lǐ
Same sound today

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

Open 里 →

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 →

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