How to Write 遥 (yáo) — Meaning “Remote; distant.”

Imagine you are using a remote control (遥控) to make a little person walk (辶) far away into the distance. The right part 䍃 looks like a tiny figure holding a stick, helping you recall the meaning of distance.

Write the right part 䍃 completely first, then add the radical 辶 on the left. Pay special attention to the top of 䍃: it starts with a claw shape (爫) and a dot, followed by the moon (月) — do not connect the dot to the claw below. A common mistake is writing the radical 辶 too wide or forgetting the dot.

All three use the radical 辶, but their right parts differ. 遥 has 䍃 (claw over moon), while 逭 has 官 (official) and 逮 has 隶 (slave or hand). In meaning, 遥 means "distant," 逭 means "to escape," and 逮 means "to capture" — so context and the right component clarify which character it is.

遥 appears in everyday words like 遥远 (distant) and 遥控 (remote control), and is also found in literary descriptions of faraway places. It is not in the HSK list, but you will see it in technology, travel writing, and poetry, where it evokes a sense of vast distance.

Common words containing 遥 include: 遥远 (yáo yuǎn) — Distant; remote.; 遥控 (yáo kòng) — Remote control.; 遥望 (yáo wàng) — To look into the distance..