Meaning and Usage
"外国" literally means "outside country" and refers to any country other than one's own. It is commonly used to talk about foreign countries, foreigners, or things related to other nations.
Common Contexts
You will often see "外国" in contexts such as travel (外国旅游), describing people from other countries (外国人), or products and culture originating abroad (外国商品).
Collocations and Patterns
- 外国人 (foreigner): used to describe people from other countries.
- 去外国 (go abroad): used when talking about traveling to another country.
- 外国文化 (foreign culture): refers to cultures from other countries.
Usage Notes
"外国" is a neutral term and widely used in both formal and informal contexts. It contrasts with "本国" (one's own country). Avoid confusing "外国" with "外地" (other places within the same country).
Summary
Use "外国" whenever you want to refer to foreign countries or things related to them. It is a fundamental word for discussing international topics in Chinese.