Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

far; distant; remote

Chinese: 距离远、时间久。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “yuan” becomes a different word in each tone. 远 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 永远yǒng yuǎnforever; eternal
  • 跳远tiào yuǎnlong jump (athletics)
  • 远离yuǎn líto be far from; to keep away from
  • 远处yuǎn chùdistant place
  • 长远cháng yuǎnlong-term; long-range

Example Sentence

他家离这儿很远。Tā jiā lí zhèr hěn yuǎn.His home is very far from here.

hejiāhomechīmythical beast这儿zhè rherehěnveryyuǎnfar

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

The walk radical 辶 (meaning) plus 元 (yuán, sound): a long way to walk — ‘far / distant’. Simplified from 遠.

A way to remember it

A long walk (辶) ahead — far.

Easy to confuse with

  • jìn‘Near’: the opposite, also with the walk radical 辶.