1. relating to, located on, or coming from the outside
外部的；外面的；來自外部的
The external walls of the building need repainting.
這棟建築物的外牆需要重新粉刷。
Apply the ointment to the external surface of the skin only.
請僅將藥膏塗抹在皮膚的外表面。
External Meaning（定義、用法、例句與發音）
external
adjective
快速理解
What does "External" mean?What are 2-3 core uses of "External"?
形容來自、位於或作用於某物外部的，或與外界相關的。
- 1
外部的、外面的
EN: coming from or existing outside a place, organization, or thing
翻譯: 來自或存在於某個地方、組織或事物外部的。
- 2
外界的、外來的
EN: relating to or connected with the outside world or another country
翻譯: 與外部世界或另一個國家相關或相連的。
- 3
外用的
EN: used on the outside of the body
翻譯: 用於身體外部的。
- 4
表面的、外觀的
EN: relating to the outward appearance rather than the true nature
翻譯: 與外在表象相關，而非真實本質的。
小提醒：注意 'external' 與 'internal'（內部的）為反義詞。在醫學或產品使用上，'for external use only' 意指「僅供外用」，不可內服或內用。
發音（How to Pronounce "External" in English）
How to pronounce "External" in English?"External" US vs UK pronunciation
點擊下方的 US / UK 按鈕可播放發音。
Real-life Examples of "External" from YouTube Videos
Steve Jobs' 2005 Stanford Commencement Address
Stanford
“Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life, Because almost everything- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.”
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Definitions（定義）
What are the definitions of "External"?How does "External" change by context?
2. coming from or relating to a country or organization other than the one being discussed
外國的；外來的；對外的
The company relies heavily on external funding.
這家公司嚴重依賴外部資金。
The minister is responsible for external affairs.
這位部長負責對外事務。
3. existing independently of the mind; objective
客觀的；外在的
Beauty is not just an external quality; it comes from within.
美不僅僅是一種外在的品質；它來自內心。
He was more concerned with external appearances than with inner character.
他更關心外在的樣貌，而非內在的品格。
4. for or concerning students who do not study full-time at a particular institution
校外的；外部的（指學生）
She is an external student studying for her degree through distance learning.
她是一名校外學生，透過遠距學習攻讀學位。
The university welcomes applications from external candidates.
這所大學歡迎校外申請者提出申請。
Grammar & Patterns（句型）
What are common sentence patterns for "External"?How to make natural sentences with "External"?
| Pattern | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| external + noun | 外部的… | The company hired an external auditor to review its finances. (公司聘請了一位外部審計師來審查其財務狀況。) |
| external to + noun | 對…而言是外部的 | These factors are external to our control. (這些因素不在我們的控制範圍之內。) |
| for external use only | 僅供外用 | This ointment is for external use only. (此藥膏僅供外用。) |
| on the external side | 在外側 | The damage was mostly on the external side of the building. (損壞主要集中在建築物的外側。) |
| external pressure/influence | 外部壓力/影響 | The government faced external pressure to change its policies. (政府面臨改變政策的的外部壓力。) |
用法說明
How is "External" different from similar structures?What usage mistakes are common with "External"?
external to vs external from
- external to 是最標準且最常見的用法，表示「對...而言是外部的」，強調與某個主體、系統或範圍的關係。
- external from 有時會被使用，但被許多文法學家視為不標準或冗餘，因為 "external" 本身已包含「外在」的含義。
- 在正式寫作或學術文章中，應優先使用 external to。
- 當描述來源或起源時，通常會使用其他更精確的詞，如 "originating from" 或 "coming from"，而非 "external from"。 EN: The pressure must come from sources external to the company. 翻譯: 壓力必須來自公司外部的來源。
EN:The device is protected against influences external to the main system.
翻譯:該裝置受到保護，免受主系統外部影響的干擾。
總結建議
在絕大多數情況下，使用「external to」來表達「對...外部」的關係，並避免使用「external from」。
易混淆對比
What is the difference between "External" and similar words?How to choose "External" vs alternatives?
external vs internal
「external」指外在、外部的；「internal」指內在、內部的。兩者為一組反義詞，常對比使用。
external vs outside
「external」較正式，強調與主體分離或來自外部的屬性；「outside」較口語，常指物理位置或範圍之外。
external vs exterior
「external」範圍較廣，可指抽象或具體的外部事物；「exterior」通常僅指物體的外表面或外觀。
口語用法
How is "External" used in spoken English?What is the spoken vs formal difference for "External"?
引述
在口語中，有時會用「external」來引述或提及某個外部來源、規定或壓力，語氣通常較為客觀或略帶無奈。 EN: The decision wasn't ours; it came from external pressures. 翻譯: 這決定不是我們做的，是來自外部的壓力。
EN:According to external guidelines, we have to change the process.
翻譯:根據外部指導方針，我們必須改變流程。
語氣強調
當想強調某事物是來自「外部」而非內部產生時，會重讀「external」，用以劃清界線或推卸責任。 EN: That's an external problem, not something we created. 翻譯: 那是個外部問題，不是我們造成的。
EN:We need an external opinion to settle this debate.
翻譯:我們需要一個外部的意見來解決這場爭論。
停頓填充
在較正式的對話或簡報中，思考下一句話時，有時會用「external factors...」或「external influences...」作為填充短語，帶出後續要討論的環境背景。 EN: Our performance was affected by, you know, external factors like the market shift. 翻譯: 我們的表現受到了，嗯，像是市場轉變這類外部因素的影響。
EN:The project's success depends on... external resources and team effort.
翻譯:專案的成功取決於...外部資源和團隊努力。
正式寫作注意：在正式學術或商業寫作中，應避免將「external」用作填充詞。建議直接、明確地指出具體的外部因素（如「socioeconomic conditions」、「regulatory changes」），以使論述更精確、有力。
常見短語
What common collocations use "External"?What fixed phrases with "External" should I remember?
external factor
noun
外部因素
external auditor
noun
外部審計員
external pressure
noun
外部壓力
external hard drive
noun
外接硬碟
external appearance
noun
外觀
external world
noun
外部世界
for external use only
phrase
僅供外用
常見錯誤
What are common mistakes with "External"?Which "External" sentences look correct but are wrong?
×We need to consider the external factors, like the internal team's mood.
✓We need to consider the external factors, like the market conditions.
「external」指的是「外部的、外來的」，與「internal」（內部的）相對。例句中將「internal team's mood」作為「external factors」的例子是矛盾的。應使用真正來自外部環境的例子。
×This medicine is for external use only, so you can drink it.
✓This medicine is for external use only, so you must apply it to the skin.
「for external use」是固定用語，特指「僅供外用」（如塗抹於皮膚），不可內服。學習者可能誤解「external」的一般含義而用錯情境。
×She is very external and shares her feelings easily.
✓She is very outgoing and shares her feelings easily.
「external」描述實體或來源是外部的，不用來形容人的性格。形容人「外向」應該用「outgoing」、「extroverted」或「expressive」。
×The external of the building is made of glass.
✓The exterior of the building is made of glass.
「external」是形容詞，不能直接當名詞使用。指「外部、外觀」時，應使用名詞「exterior」。
×We hired an external consultant from the finance department.
✓We hired an external consultant from another company.
「external consultant」特指來自組織「外部」（通常是其他公司或機構）的顧問。來自同一公司不同部門的顧問應稱為「internal consultant」或「colleague」。
×This hard drive can be connected as an external device.
✓This is an external hard drive.
雖然語意可理解，但「external device」不夠精準。在科技產品中，「external hard drive」是標準且自然的複合名詞。使用形容詞「external」直接修飾產品名稱更為地道。
詞形變化
What are the word forms of "External"?What are tense/participle forms of "External"?