外表
wàibiǎo · HSK 7
outward appearance
🎁 外表 = outside (外) + surface (表) = the outward surface, what shows on the outside
外 means outside/external and 表 means surface or outer layer (same 表 as a wristwatch face). Together: the external surface, a thing's appearance. Like a gift box — the 外表 is the wrapping, not what is inside.
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'.
表 — fur 毛 on top + garment 衣 below
Originally depicted an outer fur garment, with 毛 (fur) above 衣 (clothing), showing the hairy outside of a coat. From 'outer garment' it extended to mean 'outside, surface,' then 'to show, express, display,' and later 'table, chart' as something laid out on the surface.