远见卓识 (yuǎn jiàn zhuó shí) — foresight and sagacity; visionary insight

Definition

A formal chengyu meaning 'foresight and wisdom' — the ability to see far ahead and judge wisely. Used for leaders or strategists whose vision shaped major decisions.

idiom
foresight and sagacityvisionary insight

Examples

  • 远见卓识，。
    Zhè wèi lǐng xiù yǐ yuǎn jiàn zhuó shí zhù chēng, yíng dé le rén mín de zūn jìng.
    This leader is known for his foresight and sagacity, earning the people's respect.
  • 远见卓识。
    Tā de yuǎn jiàn zhuó shí shǐ gōng sī zài wēi jī zhōng zhǎo dào le xīn de fā zhǎn fāng xiàng.
    His visionary insight helped the company find a new direction for development amid the crisis.
  • 远见卓识，。
    Méi yǒu yuǎn jiàn zhuó shí, hěn nán zài fù zá de guó jì huán jìng zhōng zuò chū zhèng què jué cè.
    Without foresight and sagacity, it is very difficult to make correct decisions in a complex international environment.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

远见far-sighted view
远yuǎnfar见jiànsight
偏正Modifier + head
卓识outstanding insight
卓zhuóoutstanding识shíknowledge
偏正Modifier + head

远见 far-sighted view and 卓识 outstanding insight are joined to mean foresight and sagacity.

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.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 見; 见 is its simplified writing.

  • 目目mùeye
  • 卩卩jiékneeling person

The traditional form 見 pairs 目 (eye) with 卩 (kneeling person), showing a kneeling figure with a large eye for a head. The simplified 见 is a later shorthand.

Open 见 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old shape has been explained as a child with a flag-like mark above, or as a man standing high on an altar, giving the sense of tall and outstanding.

Open 卓 →

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 識; 识 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánsay
Sound part声符shēngfú
戠
戠zhí識zhì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 識 pairs 言 (say) with 戠 as a sound part; the simplified 识 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical parts.

Open 识 →

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