Definition
以外 (yǐwài) means 'beyond / outside (a boundary)' and is used after a noun or phrase, e.g. 学校以外 'outside of school.' It often appears in the structure 除了…以外 meaning 'except for / besides.' This is different from 外 (wài), which is a simpler noun for 'outside' as a location, and 外边 (wàibian), a more colloquial noun for 'outside' as a place.
noun
outsidebeyond (a certain boundary or limit)(in 除了…以外) except forbesidesapart from
Easily confused
- 意外yì wàisound-alike(adjective) unexpected, surprising
Examples
- 以外。Xuéxiào yǐ wài de shāngdiàn dōngxi hěn piányi.The shops outside the school have cheap things.
- 以外，。Chúle tā yǐ wài, wǒmen dōu huì qù.Except for him, we will all go.
- 以外，。Chúle Zhōngwén kè yǐ wài, wǒ hái xuǎn le měishù kè.Besides Chinese class, I also chose art class.
Grammar
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