外号
wài hào · HSK 7
nickname
🏷️ 外号 = outside (外) + name/title (号) = an outside name, the one people tag you with
外 means outside or external; 号 means name, title, or label. A nickname is the name used outside your given one. Pairs with 名号 (name) and 号码 (number), where 号 also carries the sense of a label or designation.
外 — evening 夕 + divination 卜
Originally a compound of 夕 (evening) and 卜 (divination). Ancient Chinese divinations were performed in the morning; doing them at evening (夕) was considered irregular or 'outside' the norm. From this sense of deviation, 外 came to mean 'outside' or 'external'.
号 — mouth 口 + tiger 虎
Originally written 號, combining 口 (mouth, indicating a cry or call) with 虎 (tiger) as the phonetic and a hint at a loud roar. It first meant to shout or call out, then extended to a name, title, or signal. The simplified form 号 keeps only the upper element.