gwok3 ngoi6國外国外
Jyutpinggwok3 ngoi6
Yalegwok ngoih
Definition
Abroad; overseas; foreign; outside of one's own country.
neutralplacestravel
How it's used
While 國外 is widely understood, native speakers often prefer using 外國 when referring to foreign countries or things from abroad. Using 國外 can sometimes sound slightly more formal or academic compared to the more natural-sounding 外國. It is commonly used in business or news contexts to describe international markets or affairs.
Examples
He is going abroad for work next month.
Do you prefer traveling abroad or staying in Hong Kong?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often mix up 國外 and 外國. While they are technically synonyms, 外國 is the standard term for foreign countries, whereas 國外 is more often used as a location marker meaning outside the country.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
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Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
