遥远 (yáo yuǎn) — distant, remote

Definition

Emphasizes a great distance, often with a sense of being hard to reach or unreachable (places, times, dreams). More literary than plain 远, and stronger than 偏远/边远, which describe administratively outlying areas.

adjective
distantremote

Examples

  • 遥远。
    Cóng běi jīng dào luò shān jī de jù lí fēi cháng yáo yuǎn.
    The distance from Beijing to Los Angeles is very remote.
  • 遥远,。
    Tā men zhù zài yáo yuǎn de xiāng cūn, hěn shǎo jìn chéng.
    They live in a remote village and rarely go to the city.
  • 遥远,。
    Nà ge mèng xiǎng kàn qǐ lái yáo yuǎn, dàn wǒ men huì nǔ lì shí xiàn.
    That dream seems distant, but we will work hard to realize it.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

遥 and 远 both mean far, and together they strengthen the sense of remote distance.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 遥 →

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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