1.
external; outward; pertaining to outward appearance
Relating to the outward appearance or external look of something, as opposed to its internal substance, function, or character. Used when discussing how something appears on the surface.
外観的には問題なさそうだ。
It seems to have no problems in terms of outward appearance.
外観的な美しさだけでなく、機能性も大切だ。
Not just external beauty, but functionality is also important.
この二つの製品は外観的にはほとんど同じだが、内部の構造は大きく異なる。
These two products look almost the same on the outside, but their internal structures differ greatly.
Composed of 外観 (outward appearance, exterior) and the suffix ～的 (pertaining to, -like). Used in both everyday and technical contexts to distinguish surface-level characteristics from deeper qualities.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 外観的な特徴: outward characteristics
- 外観的な変化: change in outward appearance
- 外観的に判断する: to judge by outward appearance
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 表面的: superficial — emphasizes surface-level quality, often with a negative nuance of being shallow
- 見た目: appearance, looks — a more colloquial way to refer to how something looks
- 内面的: internal, inner — the opposite, referring to inner qualities or character