How to Write 臱 (mián) — Meaning “Remote; distant.”

Picture yourself (自) hiding under a cover (冖) to avoid (免) others, feeling far away and remote. The image of isolating yourself helps link the character to its meaning of 'distant'.

Write the top radical 自 first (6 strokes), then the cover 冖 (2 strokes) as a dot and a hook, and finally the bottom 免 (7 strokes). A common mistake is forgetting the cover stroke above 免, so ensure the 冖 connects properly.

Both characters share the radical 自, but 臱 has a lower part resembling 免 with a cover, while 臲 has a lower part like 卪 (a seal). The meaning also differs: 臱 means remote or distant, whereas 臲 means unstable or tottering.

臱 is a very rare character, mostly found in classical Chinese literature or ancient poetry. It appears in words like 臱臱 (far away) but is not used in everyday conversation or modern HSK vocabulary.

Common words containing 臱 include: 臱臱 (mián mián) — Far away; remote.; 臱色 (mián sè) — Distant look or color.; 臱然 (mián rán) — Distant appearance..