noun HSK 2
Traditional 外國
foreign country · abroad
Meaning
外国 means 'foreign country' or 'abroad,' referring to any country other than one's own. It's a common, neutral term used when talking about international matters, travel, or things from other nations.
Usage
This is a basic vocabulary item used in everyday conversation. Native speakers use it when discussing traveling abroad, foreign products, or people from other countries. It's often paired with words like 人 (people), 货 (goods), or 语 (language). The term is neutral and appropriate in all registers.
Examples
- 01他去过很多外国。.He has been to many foreign countries.
- 02这是外国品牌吗？?Is this a foreign brand?
Characters
Measure words
- 个一个外国
Common collocations
- 外国人foreigner
- 外国语foreign language
- 去外国to go abroad
- 外国货foreign goods
Antonyms
Origin
Literally combines 外 (outside) and 国 (country) to mean 'outside country,' a straightforward compound that has been used since classical Chinese to denote foreign lands.