Chinese–EnglishWith examples

意外

yì wài · yi wai

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 3Old HSK 5Measure word: 个 gè

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. unexpected
  2. accident
  3. mishap
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In a conversation

0:19 cartoon

What a surprise

  1. Dengdeng

    琦琦(qíqí)？你(nǐ)怎么(zěnme)来(lái)了(le)？真(zhēn)意外(yìwài)！

    Qiqi? Why are you here? What a surprise!

  2. Qiqi

    我(wǒ)坐(zuò)了(le)三个(sāngè)小时(xiǎoshí)火车(huǒchē)来(lái)看(kàn)你们(nǐmen)。

    I took a three-hour train to see you.

  3. Liangliang

    更(gèng)意外(yìwài)的(de)是(shì)，我们(wǒmen)刚(gāng)买(mǎi)了(le)去(qù)你(nǐ)家(jiā)的(de)火车票(huǒchēpiào)！

    Even more surprising, we just bought train tickets to your home!

  4. Qiqi

    啊(a)？那(nà)我们(wǒmen)是不是(shìbùshì)都(dōu)白(bái)跑(pǎo)了(le)？

    What? So did we both make the trip for nothing?

  5. Dengdeng

    不会(bùhuì)，今晚(jīnwǎn)一起(yīqǐ)吃饭(chīfàn)，明天(míngtiān)一起(yīqǐ)回去(huíqu)。

    No. We eat together tonight and go back together tomorrow.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

他(tā)在(zài)回(huí)家(jiā)途(tú)中(zhōng)出(chū)了(le)意(yì)外(wài)。

He had an accident on his way home.

Tatoeba: Chinese by nickyeow · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

他(tā)在(zài)交(jiāo)通(tōng)意(yì)外(wài)中(zhōng)受(shòu)了(le)伤(shāng)。

He was injured in a traffic accident.

Tatoeba: Chinese by nickyeow · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
意
yì

idea; meaning

外
wài

outside; in addition

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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