wài: 外 - Outside, Foreign, External

• Keywords: wài, 外, wai Chinese character, Chinese for outside, Chinese for foreign, 外 meaning, what does 外 mean, 外 vs 里, 外国人, 外面, 外卖, 外婆, 外公
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 外 (wài), a fundamental HSK 1 Chinese character that means “outside.” This page explores how this simple concept of “outside” expands to mean “foreign” (as in 外国人, wàiguórén, foreigner) and is crucial for everyday conversation, from talking about the weather 外面 (wàimiàn) to ordering takeout 外卖 (wàimài). Learn the deep cultural significance of 外 (wài) in defining social groups, family relationships (like 外婆, wàipó, maternal grandmother), and China's perspective on the world.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): wài
• Part of Speech: Noun / Specifier
• HSK Level: 1
• Concise Definition: A character representing the concept of 'outside,' 'external,' or 'foreign.'
• In a Nutshell: 外 (wài) is one of the first characters you'll learn, and for a good reason. At its core, it simply means “outside,” the opposite of “inside.” Think of being outside a house. From this basic idea, 外 blossoms into many related concepts. It can mean “foreign,” as in a foreign country (外国) or a foreigner (外国人). It can also refer to the “outside” of a social group, creating the idea of an “outsider” (外人). It's a simple but powerful character that helps define space, nationality, and even family relationships in the Chinese language.

• 外: The character 外 is a combination of two older components:
  • 夕 (xī): This radical means “evening” or “dusk.”
  • 卜 (bǔ): This radical means “to divine” or “divination.”
• Combined Meaning: A popular folk etymology suggests that ancient divination ceremonies (卜) were often performed outdoors or in the evening (夕), away from the main dwelling. This act of being “outside” the home to perform a special ritual gave rise to the character's modern meaning of “outside” or “external.”

The character 外 (wài) is deeply embedded in the Chinese cultural psyche, particularly in its sharp contrast with 内 (nèi), meaning “inside.” This 内/外 distinction is a cornerstone of Chinese social structure. In Chinese culture, there's a very strong concept of an in-group (自己人, zìjǐrén - “one of us”) and an out-group (外人, wàirén - “outsider”). This isn't just about being friendly or not; it dictates levels of trust, obligation, and communication style. You might share information freely with someone 内, but be much more reserved with someone 外. This can be compared to the Western idea of a “public vs. private sphere,” but it's not the same. The Western concept often revolves around individual privacy and information. The Chinese 内/外 concept is about collective group identity. Who is inside your circle of trust and mutual obligation? This includes family, very close friends, and long-term colleagues. Everyone else is, to some degree, 外. Understanding this helps explain the importance of building 关系 (guānxi)—it's the process of slowly moving someone from an 外 position to an 内 position. A fascinating reflection of this is in family terms. The maternal side of the family is designated with 外: 外公 (maternal grandfather) and 外婆 (maternal grandmother). This stems from a traditionally patriarchal society where the bride marries *into* the groom's family, making her family “external” to the core family line.

外 is an incredibly versatile and common character in daily life.

This is its most literal and frequent use. It's used to talk about the physical outdoors.

• 外面 (wàimiàn): outside
• 门外 (ménwài): outside the door

This is arguably its most important meaning for international learners.

• 外国人 (wàiguórén): foreigner
• 外国 (wàiguó): foreign country
• 外语 (wàiyǔ): foreign language
• 外企 (wàiqǐ): foreign-owned enterprise

In the age of apps, this usage is ubiquitous.

• 外卖 (wàimài): literally “outside sell,” meaning takeout or food delivery. Asking “点外卖吗 (diǎn wàimài ma)?” (Should we order takeout?) is a daily occurrence.

As discussed, 外 denotes the maternal family line.

• 外公 (wàigōng): maternal grandfather
• 外婆 (wàipó): maternal grandmother
• 外孙 (wàisūn): daughter's son

• Example 1:
  • 外面太冷了，你多穿一件衣服吧。
  • Pinyin: Wàimiàn tài lěng le, nǐ duō chuān yí jiàn yīfu ba.
  • English: It's too cold outside, you should put on another layer of clothes.
  • Analysis: A very common, practical sentence using 外面 to refer to the outdoors.
• Example 2:
  • 我是一个外国人，我的中文不太好。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shì yí ge wàiguórén, wǒ de Zhōngwén bú tài hǎo.
  • English: I am a foreigner, my Chinese is not very good.
  • Analysis: This is a foundational sentence for almost any beginner learner to introduce themselves.
• Example 3:
  • 我今天晚上要去看我外婆。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān wǎnshang yào qù kàn wǒ wàipó.
  • English: I'm going to visit my maternal grandmother tonight.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the specific use of 外 for the maternal side of the family.
• Example 4:
  • 我们今天太累了，点个外卖吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen jīntiān tài lèi le, diǎn ge wàimài ba.
  • English: We're too tired today, let's just order takeout.
  • Analysis: Shows the extremely common modern usage of 外卖 for food delivery.
• Example 5:
  • 这是我们公司内部的事情，请不要告诉外人。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒmen gōngsī nèibù de shìqing, qǐng bú yào gàosù wàirén.
  • English: This is an internal company matter, please don't tell any outsiders.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly illustrates the cultural concept of 外人 as an “outsider” to a specific group, not necessarily a foreigner.
• Example 6:
  • 除我以外，大家都去了。
  • Pinyin: Chú wǒ yǐwài, dàjiā dōu qù le.
  • English: Everyone went except for me.
  • Analysis: Highlights the common grammatical structure 除了…以外 (chúle…yǐwài), meaning “except for” or “besides.”
• Example 7:
  • 一个人的外表不重要，内心才最重要。
  • Pinyin: Yí ge rén de wàibiǎo bù zhòngyào, nèixīn cái zuì zhòngyào.
  • English: A person's external appearance isn't important, their heart is what's most important.
  • Analysis: 外表 (wàibiǎo) means “outward appearance,” contrasting directly with 内心 (nèixīn), or “inner heart.”
• Example 8:
  • 我需要学习一门外语来找更好的工作。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào xuéxí yì mén wàiyǔ lái zhǎo gèng hǎo de gōngzuò.
  • English: I need to learn a foreign language to find a better job.
  • Analysis: 外语 (wàiyǔ) is the standard term for any foreign language.
• Example 9:
  • 另外，我还有一件事想跟你说。
  • Pinyin: Lìngwài, wǒ hái yǒu yí jiàn shì xiǎng gēn nǐ shuō.
  • English: In addition, I have one more thing I want to tell you.
  • Analysis: Shows 外 used in the common adverb 另外 (lìngwài), meaning “in addition” or “besides.”
• Example 10:
  • 他出了车祸，被送到了外科。
  • Pinyin: Tā chū le chēhuò, bèi sòng dào le wàikē.
  • English: He got in a car accident and was sent to the surgery department.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates a technical usage, where 外科 (wàikē) means “surgery,” historically the branch of medicine dealing with external injuries.

• `外人 (wàirén)` vs. `外国人 (wàiguórén)`: This is the most common pitfall for beginners.
  • `外国人 (wàiguórén)`: Means “foreigner,” a person from another country (国). It is a neutral, factual term.
  • `外人 (wàirén)`: Means “outsider,” a person not belonging to a specific in-group (family, company, circle of friends). It can be used for a fellow Chinese person who is not part of the group.
  • Incorrect Usage: A foreigner saying, “我是一个外人 (Wǒ shì yí ge wàirén).”
  • Why it's wrong: While technically true, it sounds emotionally distant and slightly sad, as if you're saying “I'm an outsider (to your group).” The correct, neutral way to say “I am a foreigner” is “我是一个外国人 (Wǒ shì yí ge wàiguórén).”
• Not just “External”: While 外 can be translated as “external,” the English word often sounds more formal or technical (“external hard drive,” “external pressure”). 外 is a much more basic, everyday word in Chinese, appearing in high-frequency terms like 外面 (outside) and 外卖 (takeout). Don't be afraid to use it in simple, daily conversation.

• 里 (lǐ) / 内 (nèi) - The direct antonyms of 外, meaning “inside” or “internal.” Understanding the 外/内 pair is fundamental.
• 外国人 (wàiguórén) - The specific word for “foreigner.” A core vocabulary word built from 外.
• 外卖 (wàimài) - An essential modern word for “takeout” or “food delivery.”
• 外婆 (wàipó) - Maternal grandmother. A key example of 外's role in family terminology.
• 外公 (wàigōng) - Maternal grandfather. The male counterpart to 外婆.
• 另外 (lìngwài) - A very common adverb meaning “in addition” or “furthermore.”
• 以外 (yǐwài) - Used in the structure 除了…以外 (chúle…yǐwài) to mean “besides” or “except for.”
• 外滩 (Wàitān) - A famous proper noun; The Bund in Shanghai, a historical area for foreign trade.