外国 wàiguó foreign country
How to remember 外国: 外 outside + 国 country = foreign country.
Characters
How it is used
- A foreign country - 外国人 (wàiguórén) a foreigner; 外国朋友 (wàiguó péngyou) foreign friend.
- Neutral term; note it names 'foreign country' as a category, contrasting 中国/本国 (one's own country).
- For a foreign language use 外语 (wàiyǔ), not 外国话 in most contexts.
Example sentences
- 他们是外国留学生。 Tāmen shì wàiguó liúxuéshēng.They're foreign students.
- 为什么你想到外国读书？ Wèishénme nǐ xiǎngdào wàiguó dúshū?Why do you want to study abroad?
- 为什么您想到外国读书？ Wèishénme nín xiǎngdào wàiguó dúshū?Why do you want to study abroad?