HSK · Level 55
105 words
Chinese word
见外
Pronunciation
Pinyinjiàn wài
Meaning
- adjectivedistant
Example
他对我显得很见外。tā duì wǒ xiǎn de hěn jiàn wài
He seems very distant toward me.
More examples
跟朋友交往久了，大家互相不再见外。gēn péng yǒu jiāo wǎng jiǔ le dà jiā hù xiāng bú zài jiàn wài
After spending a long time together, everyone is no longer distant from one another.
Core concept
A person who belongs within a close circle is kept at its edge through restrained behavior.
Common phrases
对他很见外duì tā hěn jiàn wài
be very distant toward him
跟朋友不见外gēn péng yǒu bú jiàn wài
not be distant with friends
Similar words
冷淡lěng dàn: Lacking warmth in feeling or manner and seeming cold toward others.
疏远shū yuǎn: Describing a relationship that has become less close and more distant over time.
陌生mò shēng: Seeming like a stranger because familiarity and personal connection are lacking.
生疏shēng shū: Being less familiar or comfortable because time apart has weakened the usual ease.
Definition in Chinese
把应当亲近或熟悉的人当成外人看待，表现出冷淡或客套的态度。bǎ yīng dāng qīn jìn huò shú xī de rén dàng chéng wài rén kàn dài biǎo xiàn chū lěng dàn huò kè tào de tài dù
Word origin
见 (jiàn, "to see") + 外 (wài, "outside") literally presents a familiar person as being on the outside, which develops into the social sense of acting distant or overly polite toward that person.
Usage tips
- The word usually describes a person's behavior toward someone else, not a fixed personality trait, so its meaning depends on the relationship and situation.