喜出望外 (xǐ chū wàng wài)

Character breakdown

• 喜 (xǐ) · 12 strokes

  Depicts making a joyful noise with a drum (壴) and one's mouth (口).

• 出 (chū) · 5 strokes

  Pictograph of a foot (止) exiting a cave (凵).

• 望 (wàng) · 11 strokes

  Pictograph of a person standing up (𡈼) and gazing at the moon (月). 亡 is a sound component.

• 外 (wài) · 5 strokes

  Phonosemantic compound. 卜 represents the meaning and 月 represents the sound.

Usage

收到这份礼物，他喜出望外。

to be pleased beyond one's expectations (idiom); overjoyed at the turn of events

shōu dào zhè fèn lǐ wù ， tā xǐ chū wàng wài 。