---
title: "Liwai Meaning: 例外 (lìwài) Means “exception”"
description: "例外 (lìwài) means “exception; to be an exception”. Hear its tones, see what 例 and 外 each mean and a real sentence that uses it."
canonical: "https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/liwai"
published: "2026-10-21"
updated: "2026-11-06"
author: "Mandarin The Wild"
---

[What does it mean in Chinese?](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning)

# What does 例外 mean?

猫头鹰māotóuyīngowl

例外 lìwài

## exception; to be an exception

## Its characters

1. 例 lì example
2. 外 wài outside

## In a sentence

每个人都要来，你也不例外。 Everyone has to come, and you're no exception.

不过这里有个大**例外**：葡萄牙人。

From [世界上的“茶”为什么有两种叫法？ · Cha or tea? Why the world has two words for tea](https://mandarinthewild.com/library/read/cha-or-tea-why-the-world-has-two-words-for-tea#library-word-744-746)

[More about 例外](https://mandarinthewild.com/words/%E4%BE%8B%E5%A4%96)

## More words with 例 or 外

- [案例 ànlì](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/anli)
- [比例 bǐlì](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/bili)
- [除外 chúwài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/chuwai)
- [此外 cǐwài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/ciwai)
- [额外 éwài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/ewai)
- [格外 géwài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/gewai)
- [海外 hǎiwài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/haiwai)
- [户外 hùwài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/huwai)
- [境外 jìngwài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/jingwai)
- [另外 lìngwài](https://mandarinthewild.com/meaning/lingwai)

## Keep 例外 for Review

A free account keeps it, and Review brings it back just before you’d forget it.

## Look up another word

## See any word in its sentence

Get a card like this for every word on any page or YouTube subtitle.

[Add to Chrome](https://mandarinthewild.com/go/chrome?from=%2Fmeaning%2Fliwai) [Read in the Library](https://mandarinthewild.com/library)

[Every free Chinese tool we make](https://mandarinthewild.com/tools)

[The best LingQ alternatives](https://mandarinthewild.com/guides/lingq-alternatives)