Chinese word

外衣

Pronunciation

Pinyinwài yī

Meaning

  • nouncoat

Example

外面冷，别忘了带外衣。wài miàn lěng bié wàng le dài wài yī

It's cold outside, so don't forget to bring a coat.

Illustration for 外衣 (coat)

More examples

他把外衣挂在门后。tā bǎ wài yī guà zài mén hòu

He hung his coat behind the door.

Core concept

Clothing worn over the main clothes, forming a protective or coordinated outer layer.

Common phrases

  • 穿外衣chuān wài yī

    put on a coat

  • 脱下外衣tuō xià wài yī

    take off a coat

  • 挂外衣guà wài yī

    hang up a coat

Similar words

外套wài tào: A relatively thick outer garment worn over other clothes.
上衣shàng yī: A relatively short garment worn on the upper body.
大衣dà yī: A long, thick coat worn to keep warm.
夹克jiá kè: A light, casual jacket that usually reaches around the waist.

Definition in Chinese

穿在身体外层的衣服，用于遮风挡寒或作为外层搭配，通常指上衣或外套类服装。chuān zài shēn tǐ wài céng de yī fú yòng yú zhē fēng dǎng hán huò zuò wéi wài céng dā pèi tōng cháng zhǐ shàng yī huò wài tào lèi fú zhuāng

Word origin

外 (wài, "outside") + 衣 (yī, "clothing") literally identifies clothing placed on the outside of the body.

Usage tips

  • In everyday conversation, this broad term can sound descriptive or formal, so a more specific garment name often sounds more natural when the exact item matters.

Other meanings

  • jacketnoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word