境外

• Pinyin: jìng wài
• Hanzi breakdown: 境 = earth + boundary — territory; 外 = 夕 (evening) + 卜 (divination) — what is outside the familiar

Meaning

Outside the territory; abroad; beyond the border.

The counterpart to 境内, referring to areas outside the national or defined territorial boundary. Common in news reports, legal documents, and financial contexts — especially regarding capital flows, media, or individuals operating outside China's borders. Also used for Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan when discussed in the context of mainland China.

Examples

1. 这笔资金的来源被怀疑与境外势力有关联，目前正在接受调查。 The source of these funds is suspected to be linked to foreign forces and is currently under investigation.
2. 越来越多的年轻人选择赴境外留学，以拓宽国际视野。 More and more young people are choosing to study abroad to broaden their international perspective.
3. 该公司已成功将产品推向境外市场，出口额逐年上升。 The company has successfully expanded its products into overseas markets, with export figures rising year on year.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, law, finance, news

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 境外资本的流入对国内金融市场产生了深远影响。(The influx of overseas capital has had a profound impact on the domestic financial market.)
• 这个节目不对境外观众开放。(This programme is not available to viewers outside the territory.)

Don't Say

• 我去境外买了个包。(境外 is a formal geographic term — in casual speech, use 国外 or 海外 when talking about shopping or travelling abroad)

Origin & History

境 (territory, border) + 外 (outside, beyond). A direct geographic compound. Widely used in contemporary Chinese media and legal discourse to refer to areas outside the PRC's defined administrative boundaries.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal