海外

• Pinyin: hǎi wài
• Hanzi breakdown: 海 = 氵 (water) + 每 (every), meaning sea; 外 = 卜 (divination) + 夕 (evening), meaning outside

Meaning

Overseas; abroad; foreign countries. Lands beyond the sea, i.e., foreign countries.

Used as both noun and attributive adjective. Common collocations: 海外华人 (overseas Chinese), 海外市场 (overseas market), 海外留学 (study abroad). Implies countries outside China, especially those across the ocean. More formal than 国外.

Examples

1. 这家公司的海外业务占总收入的百分之四十以上。 This company's overseas business accounts for more than forty percent of total revenue.
2. 越来越多的中国企业在海外设立分公司和研发中心。 More and more Chinese companies are setting up subsidiaries and R&D centers overseas.
3. 海外华人虽然身在异国，但始终心系祖国。 Although overseas Chinese are in foreign countries, they always keep their homeland in their hearts.

Usage Guide

Context: business, immigration, politics

Tone: official

Do Say

• 他在海外工作了十年。(He worked overseas for ten years.)
• 海外订单增长很快。(Overseas orders are growing rapidly.)

Don't Say

• 把香港澳门说成海外 (Don't call Hong Kong and Macau 海外 — they are part of China, use 境外 if needed)

Origin & History

Compound of 海 (sea, ocean) + 外 (outside). Literally 'beyond the sea,' referring to foreign lands.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal