An outpatient is someone who goes to a hospital or clinic for care and then goes home the same day. They do not sleep there.

An outpatient is someoneOutpatient指的是這種人： who goes to a hospital or clinic for care去醫院或診所看病， and then goes home the same day然後當天就回家。 They do not sleep there他們不會在那裡過夜。

The person who stays overnight — or for many nights — is an inpatient, though actually everyday English often just says that person is “in hospital,” and saves outpatient for the clinic visit.

The person who stays overnight — or for many nights —過夜——或住好幾晚——的人 is an inpatient是inpatient（住院病人）， though actually everyday English often just says that person is "in hospital,"不過日常英文其實常常只說那個人「in hospital」， and saves outpatient for the clinic visit而把outpatient留給看門診的情況用。

You also hear it as a describing word: an outpatient clinic, outpatient surgery. That last one still surprises people: quite serious operations can now be outpatient, meaning you walk in, have the work done, and (if all goes well) sleep in your own bed.

You also hear it as a describing word你也會聽到它當形容詞用： an outpatient clinic, outpatient surgeryan outpatient clinic（門診診所）、outpatient surgery（門診手術）。 That last one still surprises people最後這個用法仍然讓人意外： quite serious operations can now be outpatient現在相當嚴重的手術也可能是outpatient， meaning you walk in, have the work done意思是你走進去、做完手術， and (if all goes well) sleep in your own bed然後（如果一切順利）就回自己家睡覺。

Doctors, hospitals, and insurance forms all use it; it is ordinary medical English, not slang. The out- here really is “outside the ward,” not “better than.”

Doctors, hospitals, and insurance forms all use it醫生、醫院、保險表格都會用這個字； it is ordinary medical English, not slang它是普通的醫療英文，不是俚語。 The out- here really is "outside the ward,"這裡的out-其實是「病房之外」的意思， not "better than."不是「比較好」。