Meaning of 外部
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- the outside; (attributive) external
- exterior; surface
How to use 外部
外部 is a formal word often used before another noun to mean external, as in 外部环境 (wàibù huánjìng, external environment). It also works alone as a noun for the outside of something. Example: 这个问题来自外部。(Zhège wèntí láizì wàibù.) This problem comes from outside.
外 (wài) means outside, and 部 (bù) means part or section, as in 全部 (quánbù) and 部分 (bùfen). Put them together and 外部 is the outside part of something.
Common mistake: Learners often use 外部 in casual speech for physical places, like saying a friend is waiting 在外部. In everyday talk use 外边 (wàibian) or 外面 (wàimian) for that, and keep 外部 for formal or abstract contexts.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
外 wài · outside · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
部 bù · ministry · 10 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Related words
Words that share a character with 外部.
| 外国 | wàiguó | foreign country |
| 国外 | guó wài | abroad; external (affairs) |
| 外边 | wàibian | outside; outer surface |
| 外语 | wàiyǔ | foreign language |
| 全部 | quánbù | whole; all |
| 部分 | bùfen | part; portion; piece; Taiwan pr. [bu4fen4] |
| 一部分 | yī bùfen | portion; part of |
| 大部分 | dàbùfen | the greater part; the majority; most; Taiwan pr. [da4bu4fen4] |
| 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 |
Questions about 外部
What does 外部 mean?
外部 (wàibù) means "the outside; (attributive) external; exterior; surface" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 外部?
外部 is made of 2 characters: 外 (5 strokes), 部 (10 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 外部 an HSK word?
Yes. 外部 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the opposite of 外部?
The opposite is 内部 (nèibù), meaning the inside or internal. The two often appear as a pair, as in 内部问题 (internal problems) and 外部问题 (external problems).
Is 外部 related to the word for foreign, like 外国?
Both use 外 (wài) for outside, but 外部 does not mean foreign. 外国 (wàiguó) refers to other countries, while 外部 just means outside a particular thing, group, or system.