高远 (gāo yuǎn) — to be lofty and far-reaching; far-sighted (of aspirations, vision, artistic conception)

Definition

高远 (gāoyuǎn) describes aspirations, vision, or artistic conception that reach far in scope and aim. Used in formal, literary writing — more elevated than everyday words like 远大.

adjective
to be lofty and far-reachingfar-sighted (of aspirations, vision, artistic conception)

Examples

  • 高远，。
    Tā de zhì xiàng fēi cháng gāo yuǎn, ràng rén jìng pèi.
    His aspirations are very lofty and far-reaching, admirable.
  • 高远。
    Zhǐ yǒu mù guāng gāo yuǎn de rén cái néng kàn dào wèi lái de jī yù.
    Only those with far-sighted vision can see future opportunities.
  • 高远，。
    Zhè fú huà de yì jìng gāo yuǎn, lìng rén huí wèi wú qióng.
    The artistic conception of this painting is lofty and far-reaching, leaving endless aftertaste.

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.

高gāohigh
远yuǎnfar

高 and 远 together picture something high and far-reaching, hence lofty or far-sighted.

Characters in this word

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 →

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 →

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