ex-
eks
ex- sends what was inside out past the fence
The picture From inside something that encloses, a thing moves out past the edge. ex- goes from inside out; in- goes from outside in.
Where the picture shows up in ex-
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where people go out
The exit is behind you.
ði ˈeksɪt ɪz bɪˈhaɪnd juː
The way out is behind you.
People inside the building pour through one door into the street outside.
ex (out) + it (go).
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goods leaving the country
We export most of the parts.
wiː ɪkˈspɔːrt moʊst əv ðə pɑːrts
Most of the parts go abroad.
At the port, crates are loaded onto a ship and leave the country.
ex (out) + port (carry).
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breath going out
Please exhale slowly.
pliːz eksˈheɪl ˈsloʊli
Breathe out slowly.
The chest drops and white breath leaves the mouth.
ex (out) + hal (breathe).
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pulled out from inside
They had to extract the tooth.
ðeɪ hæd tuː ɪkˈstrækt ðə tuːθ
The tooth had to come out.
Pliers grip the tooth in the jaw and draw it out.
ex (out) + tract (pull).
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the one who has left the post
My ex-boss still calls me.
maɪ ˈeks bɑːs stɪl kɔːlz miː
My old boss still rings me.
He stands outside the office door while somebody else sits at that desk.
Out of the position he used to hold.
All of it in one picture
ex- is one door facing out. The place where people leave a building is the exit; goods leaving the country are an export. Breath leaving the chest is an exhale; a tooth pulled out of the jaw is extracted. Time works the same way — the person who has gone out of the job is your ex-boss. So with ex-, just ask what is going out, and out of where.