之外

How to Say
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zhī wài
Meaning: outside of
Example
他喜欢在城市之外的乡村生活。
zhī wài

📚 How to Understand

之外 (zhī wài) meaning in English
zhīwài

之外 is a prepositional phrase meaning 'outside of' or 'beyond.' It is used to indicate something that exists or occurs beyond a certain boundary, limit, or scope.

The character 之 (zhī) originally meant 'of' or 'belonging to,' and it often functions as a grammatical particle. The character 外 (wài) means 'outside' or 'external.' Together, 之外 conveys the idea of being beyond or outside a specific point of reference.

在外 is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. For example, it can describe physical space, like 'outside the house,' or abstract concepts, such as 'beyond the scope of discussion.' It is also found in idiomatic expressions like '除此之外' (chú cǐ zhī wài), meaning 'apart from this.'

💬 Example Sentences

他喜欢在城市之外的乡村生活。
zhī wài
He likes living in the countryside outside the city.
这个决定超出了我们的控制范围。
zhī wài
This decision is beyond our control.

🔍 Character Breakdown