远道 (yuǎn dào) — a long way, distant journey (formal noun) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal noun for 'a long way' or 'a great distance,' almost always paired with a verb of motion (远道而来 come from afar; 远道旅行 a long-distance trip). It emphasizes that the traveler has come a long way, which sets up a warm welcome.

noun

a long waydistant journey (formal noun)

Examples

远道，。
Tā shì yuǎn dào ér lái de kè rén, wǒ men yào hǎo hǎo zhāo dài.
He is a guest who has come from afar; we should treat him well.
远道，。
Zhè cì yuǎn dào lǚ xíng suī rán xīn kǔ, dàn hěn zhí dé.
This long-distance trip was tiring but worthwhile.
远道。
Tā cóng yuǎn dào gǎn lái cān jiā tóng xué de hūn lǐ.
She rushed from afar to attend her classmate's wedding.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

远 (far) + 道 (road) means a road from far away, a long journey.

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.

辶元远

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.

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

行行xíngstreet

止止zhǐfoot

Sound part声符shēngfú

𩠐

首shǒu道dào

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

Early 道 showed a street 行, a foot 止, and a part written 首 or 𩠐; the right part of 行 later disappeared.

Appears in

Travel & Tourism

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