Character

外

wài HSK 1

外 wài HSK 1

1. outside; exterior (opposite of 内/里)
2. distant (in relationship); not closely related
3. foreign country; abroad
4. unofficial; informal; irregular
5. maternal side (mother's, sisters', or daughters' relatives, as they bear a different surname)
6. role type in traditional opera playing elderly male characters
7. not of one's own place or organization; outside one's own unit
8. additional; extra; other
9. beyond; outside of (directional word)

Words using 外 as wài (51)

1 外边 wài biān — outside HSK 1
- 外 outside, external
- 边 side, area
Example

外边下雨了。

wài biān xià yǔ le

It's raining outside.
2 外国 wài guó — foreign country HSK 2
- 外 outside, external, foreign
- 国 country, nation
Example

我想去外国学习。

wǒ xiǎng qù wài guó xué xí

I want to go to a foreign country to study.
3 外面 wài miàn — outside HSK 2
- 外 outside, external
- 面 side, surface
Example

外面下雨了。

wài miàn xià yǔ le

It's raining outside.
4 以外 yǐ wài — besides, other than, except for HSK 3
- 以 by means of, taking as (reference point)
- 外 outside, external, beyond
Example

除了中文以外，我还会说英语。

chú le zhōng wén yǐ wài wǒ hái huì shuō yīng yǔ

Besides Chinese, I can also speak English.
5 外卖 wài mài — food delivery HSK 3
- 外 outside, external
- 卖 sell, selling
Example

我今天不想做饭，点外卖吧。

wǒ jīn tiān bù xiǎng zuò fàn diǎn wài mài ba

I don't want to cook today, let's order food delivery.

Structure & writing

外 wài — outside; exterior (opposite of 内/里)

外 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1 夕 xī — evening; sunset (opposite of 朝zhāo)

夕 is a component in 14 characters

HSK 1

名 míng name; appellation of a person or thing 外 wài outside; exterior (opposite of 内/里) 多 duō many; much; a large number (opposite of 少/寡) 岁 suì year

HSK 4

夜 yè night (from dusk to dawn), opposite of '日'/'昼' 奖 jiǎng to reward; to praise 将 jiāng will; about to 梦 mèng dream (physiological phenomenon during sleep) 餐 cān to eat (a meal)

HSK 5

怨 yuàn resentment; hatred 浆 jiāng thick liquid; paste

HSK 6

酱 jiàng fermented paste condiment made from beans or wheat (e.g. yellow bean paste, sweet bean paste)

HSK 7

桨 jiǎng oar; paddle (for rowing a boat, usually wooden, cylindrical on the upper part and flat and slightly wider on the lower part) 罗 luó net for catching birds

2 卜 bǔ — divination; foretelling good or bad fortune using tortoise shells, animal bones, or other methods

Xpinyin

卜 is a component in 12 characters

HSK 1

下 xià lower position (opposite of 上): ① positioned below (opposite of 上); ② later in order or time; ③ within a certain range, condition, or circumstance 外 wài outside; exterior (opposite of 内/里)

HSK 3

卡 kǎ truck; large freight vehicle 处 chù place; location

HSK 4

盐 yán salt (chemistry): compound composed of metal ions (including ammonium) and acid radicals

HSK 5

卧 wò to lie down 补 bǔ to mend or repair something damaged

HSK 6

扑 pū to lunge forward and throw oneself onto something 朴 pǔ unworked timber; rough wood

HSK 7

仆 pú servant hired to do household chores 卦 guà ancient divination symbol; also the tools or act of divination 赴 fù to go; to proceed to

Stroke order