内 nèi inside
inside; inner; internal; within
How to remember 内: 冂 outer limits + 人 person = inside. At the outer limits of the fenced garden a person knocks, and the dog barks until she is finally inside.
Component breakdown
内 = 冂 outer limits + 人 person
- 冂 outer limits
- 人 person
At the outer limits of the fenced garden a person knocks, and the dog barks until she is finally inside.
How it came to be
A covered doorway, the enter block going in under it. The wedge is already past the beam over the door: the character catches the moment of being in, not the place.
How it is used
- Inside / within (formal counterpart of 里) - 内容 (nèiróng) content, 内心 (nèixīn) inner heart, 内部 (nèibù) internal.
- As a boundary marker 'within': 一周内 (yì zhōu nèi) within a week, 以内 (yǐnèi) within.
- Contrast 外 (wài, outside); the pair 内外 covers 'inside and out.' 内 is more written than 里.
Characters built with 内
Words with 内
- 内容nèiróngcontentHSK 4
- 以内yǐnèiwithinHSK 4
- 内心nèixīnheartHSK 4
- 内部nèibùinteriorHSK 5
- 在内zàinèiin itHSK 5
- 内外nèiwàiinside and outsideHSK 6
- 内涵nèihánmeaningful contentHSK 6
- 内科nèikēinternal medicineHSK 6
- 内衣nèiyīundergarmentHSK 6
- 海内外hǎinèiwàidomestic and internationalHSK 6
- 内向nèixiàngreserved (personality)HSK 7
- 内在nèizàiinnerHSK 7
- 内地nèidìinlandHSK 7
- 内存nèicúninternal storageHSK 7
- 内行nèihángexpertHSK 7
- 内需nèixūdomestic demandHSK 7
- 境内jìngnèiwithin the bordersHSK 7
- 内幕nèimùinside storyHSK 8
- 内脏nèizànginternal organsHSK 8
Example sentences
- 室内无人。 Shìnèi wú rén.There is nobody in the room.
- 屋内很暖。 Wūnèi hěn nuǎn.It's warm inside the house.
- 这本书的内容很难。 Zhè běn shū de nèiróng hěn nán.The content of this book is difficult.