远郊 (yuǎn jiāo) — outer suburbs | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literally 'distant suburbs' — the rural-fringe areas well outside the city, beyond 近郊. Often used to contrast with the city center (市中心) in terms of air quality, quiet, or distance.

noun

outer suburbs

Examples

远郊。
Tā zhù zài běi jīng de yuǎn jiāo.
He lives in the outer suburbs of Beijing.
远郊。
yuǎn jiāo De kōng qì bǐ shì zhōng xīn hǎo hěn duō.
The air in the outer suburbs is much better than the city center.
远郊。
Wǒ men zhōu mò qù yuǎn jiāo pá shān.
We go hiking in the outer suburbs on weekends.

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) describes 郊 (suburb), meaning the outer suburbs.

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.

交阝郊

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as邑yì

Sound part声符shēngfú

交

交jiāo郊jiāo

Same sound today

郊 pairs the meaning part 邑 (written as 阝) with 交, the sound part.

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