Meaning of 内在
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- inner
- internal
- intrinsic
- innate
How to use 内在
内在 describes qualities that are inside a person or thing, such as character, value, or logic. It often appears with 的 before a noun, and is commonly contrasted with 外在 (wàizài, external). Example: 内在的美比外表更重要。(Nèizài de měi bǐ wàibiǎo gèng zhòngyào.) Inner beauty is more important than appearance.
内 (nèi) means inside and 在 (zài) means to be located, so 内在 is what exists on the inside. Picture 内 as a person 人 stepping into a frame 冂, and what is in there is the inner part of something.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 内 with 入 inside instead of 人, or confuse it with 肉 (ròu, meat), which has extra strokes. Also, 内在 is not used for physical location like "inside the room"; for that say 里面 (lǐmiàn) or 房间里.
内在 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
内 nèi · inside · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
在 zài · to exist · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Related words
Words that share a character with 内在.
| 现在 | xiànzài | now; at present; currently |
| 正在 | zhèngzài | to be in the process of (doing sth); to be currently ...-ing |
| 在家 | zàijiā | to be at home; (at a workplace) to be in (as opposed to being away on official business 出差 |
| 实在 | shízài | really; actually |
| 存在 | cúnzài | to exist; to be |
| 内心 | nèixīn | heart; innermost being; (math.) incenter |
| 内容 | nèiróng | content; substance; details |
| 国内 | guó nèi | domestic; internal (to a country) |
| 不在乎 | bùzàihu | not to care |
| 在乎 | zàihu | to rest with; to lie in; to be due to (a certain attribute); (often used in the negative) |
| 内部 | nèibù | interior; inside (part, section) |
| 在于 | zàiyú | to rest with; to lie in; to be due to (a certain attribute); (of a matter) to be determine |
Questions about 内在
What does 内在 mean?
内在 (nèizài) means "inner; internal" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 内在?
内在 is made of 2 characters: 内 (4 strokes), 在 (6 strokes). That is 10 strokes in total.
Is 内在 an HSK word?
Yes. 内在 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 内在 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 内在 is written 內在.
What is the difference between 内在 and 内心?
内心 (nèixīn) is a noun meaning a person's heart or innermost feelings, as in 内心很痛苦. 内在 is mainly an adjective for inner qualities or intrinsic nature, and it can describe things too, as in 内在联系 (intrinsic connection).
What are some common phrases with 内在?
Frequent collocations include 内在美 (inner beauty), 内在联系 (internal connection), 内在因素 (internal factor), and 内在价值 (intrinsic value). These are typical in essays, news, and formal speech.