外貌 (wài mào) literally combines 外 (wài), meaning 'outside' or 'external,' and 貌 (mào), meaning 'appearance' or 'looks.' Together, they refer specifically to a person’s or animal’s physical appearance — including facial features, body shape, height, skin tone, hair, and overall visual impression. It is a neutral, formal term commonly used in descriptions, evaluations, or comparisons, especially in contexts like job interviews, medical reports, or animal breeding.

Unlike more casual words like 长相 (cháng xiàng) or 样子 (yàng zi), 外貌 carries a slightly objective, observational tone — often implying an assessment based on visible traits rather than subjective beauty. It appears frequently in written Chinese and formal speech, and can describe humans or animals alike, though it’s rarely used for inanimate objects.