远房 (yuǎn fáng) — distant relative (from a collateral branch of the family)

Definition

Refers to relatives from a distant branch of the family — same surname, but not a close relation. Always pairs with a kinship term like 亲戚 or 叔叔, not used alone.

noun
distant relative (from a collateral branch of the family)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 。
    Wǒ yǒu yí gè yuǎn fáng qīn qi zhù zài shàng hǎi.
    I have a distant relative living in Shanghai.
  • ，远房。
    Tā jiā lái le hěn duō rén, bāo kuò jǐ gè yuǎn fáng de shū shu.
    Many people came to his house, including several distant uncles.
  • 远房。
    Zhè wèi yuǎn fáng biǎo dì wǒ shì dì yī cì jiàn.
    This distant cousin is my first time meeting him.

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yuǎndistant
房fángbranch

远 distant and 房 branch together mean a collateral branch of a family.

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 →

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
戶戶hùdoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
方
方fāng房fáng
Same sound today

房 pairs 戶 (door) with 方 (fāng) as a sound part; 方 can also fit 'side,' as in a side room beside the main room.

Open 房 →

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