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外星人 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
外星人wàixīngrénspace alienHSK 7, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #2897, Very Hard
外星人wàixīngrénextraterrestrialHSK 7, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #2897, Very Hard
wàixīngrén(wai4xing1ren2)wai xing ren T4
  1. 1space alien
  2. 2extraterrestrial
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March 24, 2026

外星人wàixīngrén(wai4xing1ren2)

外星人 refers to a being from outside Earth, commonly understood as an extraterrestrial life form. It is often used in science fiction contexts and discussions about space exploration, UFOs, and the possibility of life on other planets.

Strokes16Frequency#2897DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In China, the fascination with 外星人 is evident in popular media, including TV shows and movies, reflecting a growing interest in space exploration and the unknown, similar to global trends.

Memory tip

Imagine an alien waving from a distant planet. The '外' (wai4) looks like an outer boundary, '星' (xing1) means star, and '人' (ren2) means person. Together, they depict a person from beyond the stars, helping you remember that 外星人 are beings from outer space.

Meanings of 外星人

wàixīngrén(wai4xing1ren2)
1space alien
2extraterrestrial
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About 外星人

外星人Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 外星人

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AI study notes for 外星人

Quick Contrast

外星人 (extraterrestrial) vs 外星生物 (alien life form) — use 外星人 for a more colloquial or popular context, while 外星生物 is more formal and scientific.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with tones, as mispronouncing them can lead to confusion with different words. This term is generally used in informal contexts, like casual conversations or pop culture discussions. Common collocations include 外星人小说 (science fiction about aliens) and 外星人电影 (alien movies).

HSK Study Tips

Although 外星人 is not an HSK word, it connects with vocabulary related to science and space, which can be found in HSK levels 4 and 5. Focus on understanding the individual characters and their meanings to build a stronger vocabulary in related subjects.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 外星人 with the word for 'foreigner' (外国人, wai4 guo2 ren2) due to the similar structure. Remember, 外星人 specifically refers to aliens from outer space, while 外国人 refers to people from other countries.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 外星人

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Component characters

外wàioutside
HSK 15 strokes夕
View full entry
星xīngstar
HSK 19 strokes日
View full entry
人rénman
HSK 12 strokes人
View full entry

How to say space alien in Chinese

“space alien” in Chinese is外星人wàixīngrén

外星人 refers to a being from outside Earth, commonly understood as an extraterrestrial life form. It is often used in science fiction contexts and discussions about space exploration, UFOs, and the possibility of life on other planets.

When to use 外星人

Be cautious with tones, as mispronouncing them can lead to confusion with different words. This term is generally used in informal contexts, like casual conversations or pop culture discussions. Common collocations include 外星人小说 (science fiction about aliens) and 外星人电影 (alien movies).

外星人 or something close to it

外星人 (extraterrestrial) vs 外星生物 (alien life form) — use 外星人 for a more colloquial or popular context, while 外星生物 is more formal and scientific.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 外星人 with the word for 'foreigner' (外国人, wai4 guo2 ren2) due to the similar structure. Remember, 外星人 specifically refers to aliens from outer space, while 外国人 refers to people from other countries.

Write 外星人

外
星
人

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Frequently asked questions about 外星人

It is pronounced as 'wai4 xing1 ren2' with the tones being important for clarity.

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