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绕远儿 (rào yuǎn r) — (verb) to take a detour, to go the long way round; (adjective) circuitous, roundabout (of a route)

Definition

Colloquial verb/adjective for a route that is 'the long way round' or 'circuitous'. 绕行 is more formal and often implies an official detour (road closure); 走弯路 is mainly figurative for wasted effort.

verb
to take a detourto go the long way round
adjective
circuitousroundabout (of a route)

Examples

  • 绕远儿，。
    Wǒ men rào yuǎn r le, duō huā le yí gè xiǎo shí.
    We took a detour and spent an extra hour.
  • ，绕远儿。
    Tā wèi le kàn fēng jǐng, tè yì rào yuǎn r.
    She took a circuitous route on purpose to see the scenery.
  • 绕远儿，。
    Zhè tiáo lù tài rào yuǎn r le, wǒ men hái shì zǒu dà lù ba.
    This road is too roundabout; let's take the main road instead.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

绕远go far around
绕ràogo around远yuǎnfar
补充Verb + complement
儿ércolloquial ending

绕 means to go around, 远 means far, and 儿 adds the spoken form.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 繞; 绕 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mìrope
Sound part声符shēngfú
堯
堯yáo繞rào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 繞 pairs 糸 (rope) with 堯 as a sound component; the simplified 绕 is a later shorthand.

Open 绕 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
元
元yuán远yuǎn
Same sound today

远 combines 辶, meaning walk, with 元, used for its sound.

Open 远 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Directions

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