门外
门door外outside=outside the door
外
外 (wài) Chinese Character: outside; foreign
Move beyond the door and point outward: 外.
Practice 外 in the interactive lessonChinese character story: Stepping from Inside to Outside
外 (wài) means “outside,” and it is the natural opposite of 里. 门外 is “outside the door,” 外面 is “outside,” and 国外 means “abroad” or “outside the country.” The same character can also describe something foreign or external, as in 外国, “foreign country.” For beginners, build a simple two-card contrast: 里 points inward and 外 points outward. The fourth tone falls sharply, so say wài with a clear downward movement.
🧩 Word buildingSee what every part contributes
Chinese words often combine short meaning clues. Fixed expressions are clearly marked so you do not translate them too literally.
国外
国country外outside=abroad or outside the country
Chinese character origin and etymology
Traditional analysis combines 夕 “evening” with 卜 “divination.” Older explanations connect an unusual nighttime divination with events beyond the normal or local area. Whatever historical interpretation is followed, the modern character is best learned through its direct contrast with 里: inside versus outside.
外 places 夕 on the left and 卜 on the right. The five strokes spread outward in a clear left-right structure. 外 contains 夕 and 卜. These parts act like clues: a component may suggest a meaning category, a pronunciation, or simply preserve part of the character's historical structure.
Chinese character stroke order and structure
外 is written with 5 strokes. Learn the complete stroke sequence in the interactive lesson, then write the character from memory before checking your answer.
- 夕 — evening — part of the traditional historical analysis
- 卜 — divination mark — part of the older structure
Common usage and sentence patterns
The examples below show 外 in complete beginner-friendly sentences. Read each sentence aloud, notice where the character appears, and then replace one noun or number to create a new sentence of your own.
他在门外。
He is outside the door.
外面下雨了。
It is raining outside.
我们去国外学习。
We are going abroad to study.
Learning tips for 外
Learn the reading as one unit: wài, with the fourth tone: a sharp fall. Avoid memorizing the letters without the tone mark. Say the syllable, recall the English meaning “outside; foreign,” and write the 5 strokes from memory.
Because 外 contains reusable components, identify those clues before memorizing the whole shape. Compare it with 里 (lǐ, inside; in); 门 (mén, door; gate); 去 (qù, to go). Similar characters are easier to remember when their different parts and meanings are studied side by side.
Quick review checklist
- Can you recognize 外 without pinyin?
- Can you say wài with the correct tone and explain “outside; foreign”?
- Can you write all 5 strokes in order?
- Can you use 外 in one short sentence?
Related characters
Learn 外 in a themed collection
Compare this character with related beginner words. A themed path helps you notice useful pairs, word-building patterns, and everyday contexts.
Continue learning Chinese characters
Use the Chinese radicals and components guide to understand reusable parts, the stroke order guide to improve handwriting, and the HSK 1 character overview to choose your next beginner lesson.
Sources and editorial note
HanziStory separates documented character history from modern memory stories. Historical-form images are shown only when a matching source file is available; missing stages are skipped rather than invented. Stroke practice uses HanziWriter data.
Last updated: August 12, 2026. Read our sources, editorial method, and correction policy.