adjective HSK 4
Traditional 遙遠
yáo yuǎn
distant · remote · far away

Meaning

遥远 describes something that is far away in distance or time. It conveys a sense of remoteness or being separated by a great distance, often with a poetic or contemplative tone. The word emphasizes the vast space or time between the speaker and the object being described.

Usage

遥远 is commonly used in both written and spoken Chinese to describe physical distances (like distant lands or stars) as well as temporal distances (like ancient times or distant future). It carries a slightly more literary or emotional tone compared to the simpler 远. Often used when describing childhood memories, far-off places, or dreams.

Examples

  1. 01
    她来自一个遥远的国家。
    lái yáo yuǎn de guó jiā.
    She comes from a distant country.
  2. 02
    那些童年的记忆对我来说已经很遥远了。
    xiē tóng nián de duì lái shuō jīng hěn yáo yuǎn le.
    Those childhood memories already feel very distant to me.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 遥远的地方
    yáo yuǎn de fang
    a distant place
  • 遥远的过去
    yáo yuǎn de guò
    the distant past
  • 遥远的记忆
    yáo yuǎn de
    distant memory
  • 遥远的梦想
    yáo yuǎn de mèng xiǎng
    distant dream

Antonyms

Origin

Both characters 遥 and 远 independently mean 'far' or 'distant,' making this a compound that intensifies the meaning. The character 遥 contains the 辶 (walking) radical, suggesting movement over great distances.

Related