Chinese word

格外

Pronunciation

Pinyingé wài

Meaning

  • adverbespecially

Example

今天格外冷，要多穿点。jīn tiān gé wài lěng yào duō chuān diǎn

It is especially cold today, so wear more clothes.

Illustration for 格外 (especially)

More examples

这次考试比预想的格外难。zhè cì kǎo shì bǐ yù xiǎng de gé wài nán

This exam was much harder than expected.

Core concept

A degree that stands noticeably beyond the ordinary level.

Common phrases

  • 格外冷gé wài lěng

    especially cold

  • 格外高兴gé wài gāo xìng

    especially happy

  • 格外注意gé wài zhù yì

    pay special attention

Similar words

特别tè bié: Marks a quality or state as exceptionally strong or noticeable.
非常fēi cháng: Shows that a quality or state is at a very high degree.
尤其yóu qí: Highlights one item or situation as standing out within a group.

Definition in Chinese

表示某事在程度上与平常不同、显得特别或格外明显，用以强调程度。biǎo shì mǒu shì zài chéng dù shàng yǔ píng cháng bù tóng xiǎn de tè bié huò gé wài míng xiǎn yòng yǐ qiáng diào chéng dù

Word origin

格 (gé, "standard") + 外 (wài, "outside") forms the image of something beyond the usual standard, which gives the adverb its meaning of an unusually marked degree.

Usage tips

  • English especially often selects one item from a group, but this adverb usually strengthens the predicate itself by marking its degree as more noticeable than normal.

Other meanings

  • exceptionallyadverb
  • unusuallyadverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 格外地gé wài dìespeciallyadverb

Word lists with this word