外 (wài) — Outside in Mandarin
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#398 most common word · HSK 2 · CEFR A2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
外 is pronounced wài. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Wàimiàn hěn lěng, qǐng chuānshang wàitào.
It's cold outside, please wear a coat.
Hear it, then say it right
Reading pinyin only gets you halfway. ToneDeck plays native audio for 外 and thousands more words, then scores your pronunciation so your tones land. HSK 1 is free, no install.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 外 mean?+
外 (wài) means "Outside" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 外?+
外 is pronounced wài. It uses the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 外 in Mandarin?+
外 is the #398 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 外 fits
Every HSK 2 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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