How to Write 邈 (miǎo) — Meaning “remote / distant”

Imagine a cat (貌 looks somewhat like 猫 without the 犭) walking far away on a path (辶) — the cat's appearance becomes small and remote. The phrase "cat goes far" helps link the components to the meaning 'distant'.

Start with the left radical 辶 (three strokes: dot, horizontal fold, then a long sweep). Then write the right part 貌 from top to bottom: first 豸 (seven strokes) then 儿. A common mistake is making the 辶 too small or not long enough to carry the right part; the sweeping stroke should extend under the right side.

遴 (lín, to select) has the radical 辶 and a different right part (粦), meaning to carefully choose. 遵 (zūn, to obey) also has 辶, with 尊 as its component, meaning to follow rules. Unlike both, 邈 specifically describes physical or metaphorical distance, not selection or compliance.

邈 is uncommon in daily speech, appearing mostly in formal or literary contexts to describe remoteness. Examples include 邈远 (extremely far) and the idiom 邈若两人 (to be like two completely different people), used when someone's character has changed drastically. It carries a poetic, classical feel.

Common words containing 邈 include: 遥邈 (yáo miǎo) — Remote; far away.; 邈远 (miǎo yuǎn) — remote / very far away; 邈若两人 (miǎo ruò liǎng rén) — to be like two completely different people / poles apart.