以外 yǐ wài
“apart from; other than; except for”
locality word2021 list level 2
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
以外 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 932: 以外 yǐwài — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 103
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 以外
以外 follows a noun or phrase and means 'outside/beyond' a physical or abstract boundary, or 'except/besides' in the pattern 除了…以外. In 除了…以外 clauses, 都 usually signals 'except' and 也 signals 'besides/in addition'. It is a location/range word, not a verb, and cannot take 了.
例句Example sentences
- 除了小王以外，我们都去过北京。chú le xiǎo wáng yǐ wài, wǒ men dōu qù guò běi jīng.Except for Xiao Wang, we have all been to Beijing.
- 除了汉语以外，他还会说英语。chú le hàn yǔ yǐ wài, tā hái huì shuō yīng yǔ.Besides Chinese, he can also speak English.
- 学校以外有一家小超市。xué xiào yǐ wài yǒu yì jiā xiǎo chāo shì.There is a small supermarket outside the school.
易混词Easily confused
以外vs以后
以后 relates to time ('after, later'), while 以外 relates to space/range or exceptions ('outside, except'). Do not use 以外 to mean 'afterwards'.