远走高飞 (yuǎn zǒu gāo fēi) — to fly far and high; to leave for a distant place (figurative)

Definition

An idiom meaning to leave home for a faraway place in pursuit of new opportunities or freedom. Often used to describe someone escaping a difficult situation or chasing a dream.

idiom
to fly far and highto leave for a distant place (figurative)

Examples

  • 远走高飞
    Tā jué dìng yuǎn zǒu gāo fēi, qù guó wài zhuī qiú mèng xiǎng.
    He decided to go far away and pursue his dreams abroad.
  • 远走高飞
    Xiǎo niǎo zhǎng dà le jiù huì yuǎn zǒu gāo fēi, lí kāi fù mǔ.
    When young birds grow up, they will fly far away and leave their parents.
  • 远走高飞
    Tā yàn juàn le chéng shì shēng huó, xiǎng yuǎn zǒu gāo fēi dào yí gè ān jìng de dì fāng.
    She was tired of city life and wanted to go far away to a quiet place.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

远走go far
偏正Modifier + head
高飞fly high
偏正Modifier + head

"远走" means going far away and "高飞" means flying high, together describing leaving for distant places.

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
Written in full aschuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
yuányuǎn
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 original shape showed a running man, with a foot added later.

Open 走 →

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

高 was drawn as a tall building.

Open 高 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 飛; 飞 is its simplified writing.

For 飞, the traditional form 飛 pictures a bird flying upwards.

Open 飞 →

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