老外

lǎowài

noun #32,705

Measure Word

一个老外 gè

Meanings

1 foreigner (colloquial, usually non-Asian)
2 outsider / amateur (figurative)

Characters

old (familiar prefix)

outside, foreign

Examples

这条街上经常能看到老外。

Zhè tiáo jiē shàng jīngcháng néng kàndào lǎowài.

You often see foreigners on this street.

那个老外中文说得比我还好。

Nà ge lǎowài Zhōngwén shuō de bǐ wǒ hái hǎo.

That foreigner speaks Chinese better than I do.

这些修车的活我完全是老外。

Zhèxiē xiūchē de huó wǒ wánquán shì lǎowài.

When it comes to car repair I'm a complete amateur.

Tips

register

Everyday and generally friendly despite the literal 'old outsider.' The more formal term is 外国人. Most Chinese speakers find 老外 neutral; a minority of foreigners find it othering.

Stroke Order

老 lǎo

外 wài