外在 (wàizài) — external; outward

外在 (wàizài)

外在 means external or outward, describing qualities, factors, or appearances that belong to the outside as opposed to the inner or intrinsic nature of something.

Meanings

1. [adjective] external; outward; superficial; extrinsic (contrasted with inner/intrinsic)

Example Sentences

外在的美貌不如内在的品质重要。 Wàizài de měimào bùrú nèizài de pǐnzhì zhòngyào. External beauty is not as important as inner qualities.

成功不仅仅取决于外在条件，更取决于个人的努力。 Chénggōng bù jǐnjǐn qǔjué yú wàizài tiáojiàn, gèng qǔjué yú gèrén de nǔlì. Success depends not only on external conditions but even more on personal effort.

他的外在表现掩盖了内心的焦虑。 Tā de wàizài biǎoxiàn yǎngài le nèixīn de jiāolǜ. His outward behavior concealed the anxiety within.

外在压力固然存在，但内在动力更加关键。 Wàizài yālì gùrán cúnzài, dàn nèizài dònglì gèngjiā guānjiàn. External pressure certainly exists, but inner motivation is even more crucial.

她不在乎外在评价，只专注于自身的成长。 Tā bù zàihu wàizài píngjià, zhǐ zhuānzhù yú zìshēn de chéngzhǎng. She does not care about external evaluations, focusing only on her own growth.

产品的外在设计固然重要，但功能性才是核心。 Chǎnpǐn de wàizài shèjì gùrán zhòngyào, dàn gōngnéng xìng cái shì héxīn. The external design of a product is certainly important, but functionality is the core.

Collocations

Usage Notes

外在 is typically used in contrast with its antonym 内在 (nèizài, internal/intrinsic). The pair 外在/内在 is a common framework in Chinese philosophical, psychological, and everyday discourse to distinguish between appearance and essence, external influence and inner drive.

外在 can modify nouns as an adjective (外在因素, external factors) or function as a predicate (这是外在的, this is external). It is more formal and philosophical than 外面的 (outer/outside), which is more spatial and concrete.

Memory Hook

外 means "outside/external" and 在 means "to exist/be located." 外在 is what exists on the outside -- the outward, external dimension of something as opposed to its hidden inner nature.