外貌

• Pinyin: wài mào
• Hanzi breakdown: 外 = 夕 + 卜; 貌 = 豸 (a creeping beast, radical) + 皃 (face/appearance, phonetic-semantic) — an ancient depiction of facial expression and appearance

Meaning

Outward appearance; physical looks; features. The visible aspect of a person's face and body as perceived by others.

More formal and literary than 外表 (which covers both people and objects). 外貌 focuses specifically on a person's physical features — facial characteristics, build, and grooming. Common in written descriptions, character profiles, and sociological discussions of beauty standards (外貌歧视 = lookism). The idiom 以貌取人 (judge people by looks alone) is a closely related expression.

Examples

1. 求职时以外貌作为主要评判标准，是一种不公平的歧视行为。 Using physical appearance as the primary criterion in hiring decisions is an unfair and discriminatory practice.
2. 她外貌并不出众，但谈吐优雅，举止得体，给人留下了深刻的印象。 Her looks are unremarkable, but her elegant speech and composed manner left a strong impression on everyone.
3. 研究表明，人们对他人外貌的第一印象往往在短短几秒内便已形成。 Research shows that people's first impressions of another person's appearance are often formed within just a few seconds.

Usage Guide

Context: social, professional, academic, literary

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 他外貌普通，但凭借过硬的专业能力赢得了同事们的认可。(He has an unremarkable appearance, but earned his colleagues' respect through sheer professional competence.)
• 外貌歧视在职场中仍是一个不容忽视的现实问题。(Lookism remains a real and not-to-be-ignored problem in the workplace.)

Don't Say

• 用外貌描述物体的外观 (外貌 applies almost exclusively to people; use 外形 or 外观 when describing the shape or appearance of objects)

Origin & History

Compound of 外 (outside, external) + 貌 (appearance, features, look). 貌 is an ancient character depicting facial features, making 外貌 a doubly reinforced term for outward physical appearance.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal