Hanzi Writer

How to Write 外 (wài) — Meaning “outside / foreign / external”

wài HSK Level 1 5 strokes Radical: 夕

外 (wài) means "outside / foreign / external" in Chinese. It has 5 strokes with the radical 夕, and is HSK Level 1.

Rated 2.4/5 in difficulty (moderate).

Harder than 31% of HSK Level 1 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 外国 (wài guó), 外面 (wài miàn), 意外 (yì wài).

Hanzi Writer's stroke validation shows learners typically need 5-8 attempts to write 外 with correct proportion and order.

Stroke order practice for 外 - wài

Practice Writing 外 (wài)

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How to Write 外

The character 外 (wài) is written with 5 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 夕 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does wài (外) Mean in Chinese?

外 means outside / foreign / external.

As an HSK Level 1 character, 外 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Character Data

Character外
Pinyinwài (wai)
Meaningoutside / foreign / external
Strokes5
Radical夕
HSK Level1
Difficulty2.4/5

Origin of 外

The character 外 combines 夕 (evening, often depicting a crescent moon) and 卜 (divination or a ritual stick), originally showing a divination ceremony performed outside under the night sky. This composition links the idea of activities beyond the home to the meaning of 'outside' or 'external.'

💡 Memory Tip: Picture a crescent moon (夕) casting light on a flagpole (卜) planted outside your house, marking the 'outside' territory.

Common Words with 外

外国 wài guó
foreign country
外面 wài miàn
outside
意外 yì wài
accident / unexpected

Example Sentences

他想去外国旅游。

tā xiǎng qù wài guó lǚ yóu

He wants to travel abroad.

外面正在下大雪。

wài miàn zhèng zài xià dà xuě

It is snowing heavily outside.

这是一个小意外。

zhè shì yí gè xiǎo yì wài

This is a small accident.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character Pinyin Strokes Radical
外 (current) wài 5 夕
夃 gǔ 4 夕
夕 xī 3 夕
夗 yuàn 5 夕
Stroke order practice for 外 - wài

Practice Writing 外 (wài)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 外 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 外

外 is made of two parts: left side 夕 (evening, moon) and right side 卜 (divination). Together, they suggest performing divination outside at night, which connects to the meaning of 'outside' or 'external'. For learners, think of 夕 as a crescent moon and 卜 as a pointing hand indicating something beyond.

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Characters with Radical 夕

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Other 5-Stroke Characters

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