within
within — adverb
1. in the inner part of a space, object, or area, rather than on its outer surface
in the inner part of a space, object, or area, rather than on its outer surface or outside it
The old house looked plain outside, but within the walls were covered with colourful paintings.
adverb position at the start of a clause
Élise opened the wooden chest and discovered a silk scarf hidden within.
The envelope was sealed with wax, and within lay a single handwritten letter.
Renata cracked the nut and found the seed within still fresh and edible.
- inside
more common in everyday speech; 'within' sounds more formal or literary
- inwardly
used for emotions or thoughts, not physical spaces
- internally
technical or medical tone; emphasises the interior of a system or body
- outside
the opposite location — on the exterior surface
用法筆記
As an adverb, 'within' usually follows the main verb or appears at the beginning of a clause. It is more formal and less common than 'inside' for describing physical position.
within — preposition
1. before a given time limit ends, or no farther away than a stated distance from a
before a given time limit ends, or no farther away than a stated distance from a location
The package should arrive within three working days, according to the tracking information.
within + time period for deadline
Diya lives within walking distance of the main train station in Taipei.
within + distance for accessibility
Kwame completed the marathon within four hours despite the hot weather.
Xiu promised to finish the report within a week and delivered it two days early.
It is rare to see snow within a hundred kilometres of the equator.
文法句型
within + [time period]
within + [distance] of + [place]
用法筆記
For time, 'within' focuses on the endpoint (not later than) rather than during the whole period. Compare: 'I will finish it within an hour' (before one hour passes) vs 'I will finish it in an hour' (after one hour).
常見錯誤
2. not exceeding what is permitted by laws, rules, budgets, or other controlling st
not exceeding what is permitted by laws, rules, budgets, or other controlling standards
The company must operate within the environmental regulations set by the government.
within + regulations for legal compliance
Quinn ensured that every expense stayed within the budget approved by the board.
Staying within the speed limit is required by law in every country.
The judge ruled that the protest was within the rights protected by the constitution.
Constanza kept the project costs completely within the agreed financial limits.
- inside
more general and less formal; 'within' is preferred in official or rule-based contexts
- in accordance with
more formal and refers specifically to rules or procedures
- under
common in legal language: 'under the law', 'under the terms of the agreement'
- outside
beyond the permitted limits
- beyond
exceeding the allowed range or boundary
- contrary to
in violation of rules or standards
文法句型
within + [limit/rule/budget/law]
用法筆記
Frequently followed by nouns of control such as 'budget', 'law', 'regulations', 'guidelines', 'rules', 'limits', or 'bounds'. This sense often appears in formal or professional contexts.
常見錯誤
3. contained in the inner area or boundaries of a particular place, object, or body
contained in the inner area or boundaries of a particular place, object, or body part
The Watanabe family kept their emergency supplies within the basement at all times.
Dr. Okafor found a small tumour within the patient's right lung.
within + body part in medical context
There is a hidden compartment within the old wooden desk that Grandpa built.
Birds had built a nest within the hollow trunk of the oak tree.
The architect designed a small garden within the central courtyard of the building.
- inside
the everyday alternative; far more frequent in spoken English
- in
shorter and more casual; used for simple location
- enclosed within
emphasises that something is fully surrounded, often used in formal descriptions
文法句型
within + [place/object/area]
用法筆記
For physical locations, 'inside' is far more common in everyday conversation. 'Within' in this sense sounds more formal or technical and is typical in medical, architectural, or geographical writing.