Meaning of 内外
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- inside and outside
- domestic and foreign
- approximately
- about
How to use 内外
内外 is used for inside and outside, or for domestic and foreign, as in 国内外 (guónèiwài, at home and abroad). After a number it means "about" or "around." Example: 一个月内外就能完成。(Yí ge yuè nèiwài jiù néng wánchéng.) It can be finished in about a month.
内 (nèi) shows something entering 入 inside a frame, and 外 (wài) means outside. Put them together and 内外 covers everything inside and outside.
Common mistake: Learners often reverse the order and say 外内. The fixed order is always 内外, just as in 国内外 (guónèiwài). Also keep both tones falling: nèi and wài are both fourth tone.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
内 nèi · inside · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
外 wài · outside · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 内外.
| 外国 | wàiguó | foreign country |
| 国外 | guó wài | abroad; external (affairs) |
| 外边 | wàibian | outside; outer surface |
| 外语 | wàiyǔ | foreign language |
| 以外 | yǐwài | apart from; other than |
| 外卖 | wàimài | (of a restaurant) to provide a takeout or home delivery meal; takeout (business) |
| 外地 | wàidì | parts of the country other than where one is |
| 外面 | wàimiàn | outside (also pr. [wai4 mian5] for this sense); surface |
| 另外 | lìngwài | additional; in addition |
| 意外 | yìwài | unexpected; accident |
| 内心 | nèixīn | heart; innermost being; (math.) incenter |
| 内容 | nèiróng | content; substance; details |
Questions about 内外
What does 内外 mean?
内外 (nèiwài) means "inside and outside; domestic and foreign" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 内外?
内外 is made of 2 characters: 内 (4 strokes), 外 (5 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 内外 an HSK word?
Yes. 内外 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 内外 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 内外 is written 內外.
What is the difference between 内外 and 里外?
Both can mean inside and outside. 里外 (lǐwài) is more casual and physical, as in 里外都打扫了 (cleaned inside and out). 内外 sounds more formal and also covers domestic and foreign matters.
How is 内外 different from 左右 when meaning "about"?
Both follow a number to mean approximately. 左右 (zuǒyòu) is far more common in everyday speech, while 内外 in this sense sounds more written and is used less often.