Meaning of 中外
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- Sino-foreign
- Chinese-foreign
- home and abroad
How to use 中外
中外 is a formal word used mostly in news, business and official writing. It often comes before another noun, as in 中外合作 (Sino-foreign cooperation), or in set phrases like 古今中外 (past and present, at home and abroad). Example: 这部电影受到中外观众的欢迎。(Zhè bù diànyǐng shòudào zhōngwài guānzhòng de huānyíng.) This film is popular with audiences in China and abroad.
中 (zhōng) is a line through the center of a box, so it means the middle, and here it stands for China, the Middle Kingdom. 外 (wài) means outside, so 中外 puts China and the outside world side by side.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes use 中外 to mean simply "abroad" or "foreign," but it always includes both China and other countries. For only "abroad," use 国外 (guówài), and for only "foreign country," use 外国 (wàiguó).
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
中 zhōng · within · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
外 wài · outside · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 中外.
| 中国 | Zhōngguó | China |
| 中间 | zhōngjiān | the middle; the inside; in the middle; within; between; among |
| 中午 | zhōngwǔ | noon; midday |
| 外国 | wàiguó | foreign country |
| 中学 | zhōngxué | middle school |
| 国外 | guó wài | abroad; external (affairs) |
| 外边 | wàibian | outside; outer surface |
| 中文 | Zhōngwén | Chinese language |
| 外语 | wàiyǔ | foreign language |
| 中学生 | zhōngxuéshēng | middle-school student; high school student |
| 其中 | qízhōng | among; in |
| 中心 | zhōngxīn | center; heart; core |
Questions about 中外
What does 中外 mean?
中外 (zhōngwài) means "Sino-foreign; Chinese-foreign" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 中外?
中外 is made of 2 characters: 中 (4 strokes), 外 (5 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 中外 an HSK word?
Yes. 中外 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I use 中外 by itself in everyday conversation?
It is rare in casual speech. People usually say 中国和外国 (Zhōngguó hé wàiguó) when talking informally, and save 中外 for written or formal contexts.
What does 古今中外 mean?
古今中外 (gǔjīn zhōngwài) means "ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign," so roughly "at all times and in all places." It is often used to make a broad statement, like something being true throughout history and around the world.