外语 wài yǔ
“foreign language”
noun2021 list level 1Traditional 外語Measure word 门
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
外语 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 867: 外语 wàiyǔ — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 101
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 外语
外语 (wàiyǔ) is a noun meaning 'foreign language.' It is used with verbs like 学、说、教 and with the classifier 门: 一门外语. It refers to languages other than one's own, especially as a school subject or skill.
例句Example sentences
- 她会说三门外语。tā huì shuō sān mén wài yǔ.She can speak three foreign languages.
- 学外语需要多听多说。xué wài yǔ xū yào duō tīng duō shuō.Learning a foreign language requires lots of listening and speaking.
- 他的外语水平比我高。tā de wài yǔ shuǐ píng bǐ wǒ gāo.His foreign-language level is higher than mine.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我会一个外语。
✓我会一门外语。
外语 is counted with the classifier 门, not 个.
易混词Easily confused
外语vs外国语
外国语 also means foreign language but is more formal and often appears in institution names; in everyday speech 外语 is more common.