Usage note
海外表示国外、国境外。
hǎi wài biǎo shì guó wài 、 guó jìng wài。
海外 means overseas or outside the country.
Context note
海外常用于旅行、工作和学习。
hǎi wài cháng yòng yú lǚ xíng 、 gōng zuò hé xué xí。
It is often used with travel, work, and study.
5 examples
他去了海外。
tā qù le hǎi wài。
He went overseas.
海外学生很多。
hǎi wài xué shēng hěn duō。
There are many overseas students.
公司有海外业务。
gōng sī yǒu hǎi wài yè wù。
The company has overseas business.
她喜欢看海外新闻。
tā xǐ huan kàn hǎi wài xīn wén。
She likes reading overseas news.
海外旅行很有趣。
hǎi wài lǚ xíng hěn yǒu qù。
Overseas travel is very interesting.
5 mini stories
老师问大家有没有海外亲戚。
lǎo shī wèn dà jiā yǒu méi yǒu hǎi wài qīn qi。
The teacher asked whether everyone had relatives overseas.
他在海外工作了几年。
tā zài hǎi wài gōng zuò le jǐ nián。
He worked overseas for several years.
海外市场很大。
hǎi wài shì chǎng hěn dà。
The overseas market is large.
她从海外寄来明信片。
tā cóng hǎi wài jì lái míng xìn piàn。
She sent a postcard from overseas.
海外经历让他学到很多。
hǎi wài jīng lì ràng tā xué dào hěn duō。
Overseas experience taught him a lot.
Mini dialogue
Family abroad
A
你的叔叔住在哪里？
Nǐ de shūshu zhù zài nǎlǐ?
Where does your uncle live?
B
他住在海外，我们常常视频通话。
Tā zhù zài hǎiwài, wǒmen chángcháng shìpín tōnghuà.
He lives overseas, we often have video calls.
Travel plan
A
暑假你想去哪里玩？
Shǔjià nǐ xiǎng qù nǎlǐ wán?
Where do you want to go for summer vacation?
B
我想去海外旅行，看看不同的国家。
Wǒ xiǎng qù hǎiwài lǚxíng, kànkan bùtóng de guójiā.
I want to travel overseas and see different countries.
Related words and contrasts
similar
国外
guówài
abroad
国外 means outside the country, very similar to 海外.
opposite
国内
guónèi
domestic
国内 means inside the country, the opposite of overseas.
related
留学
liúxué
study abroad
留学 means to study overseas, a common activity associated with 海外.