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久远 (jiǔ yuǎn) — ancient; remote in time; long ago

Definition

Describes something that happened or existed a very long time ago — a distant past. Pairs more with events and histories than 古老 (which colors objects/culture as age-old).

adjective
ancientremote in timelong ago

Examples

  • 久远。
    Zhè ge chuán shuō fēi cháng jiǔ yuǎn.
    This legend is very ancient.
  • 久远。
    jiǔ yuǎn De guò qù yǐ jīng méi yǒu rén jì de le.
    The remote past is no longer remembered by anyone.
  • 久远。
    Nà xiē jiǔ yuǎn de gù shi réng rán zài rén men zhōng jiān liú chuán.
    Those ancient stories are still circulating among people.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

久jiǔlong time
远yuǎnremote

久 and 远 together evoke a long, remote stretch of time, hence ancient.

Characters in this word

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

久 likely came from a simple drawing of an arrow tip.

Open 久 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Time (Abstract)

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