How to Write 远 (yuǎn) — Meaning “Far / Distant”

Imagine a person (元 looks like a figure with a hat) walking along a winding path (辶) to reach a faraway destination. You can also think of 元 as 'dollar' and picture walking far to spend your money. This visual story helps you recall both the shape and the meaning.

Write 元 first (strokes: horizontal, horizontal, left-falling, vertical hook), then add the radical 辶 (dot, horizontal zigzag, final sweeping stroke). A common mistake is making the 辶 too large or misplacing the 元 – it should sit slightly to the left, with the radical wrapping around it. The final stroke of 辶 must be long and gently curved, not straight.

All three share the 辶 radical, but the inner parts differ. 远 has 元 (like a person), 巡 has 巛 (three small bends, like patrol routes), and 边 has 力 (strength/power). In meaning, 远 is 'far', 巡 means 'to patrol' (going around), and 边 means 'side' or 'edge'.

远 is very common for physical distance (很远 = very far) and abstract concepts (远方 = distant place). A famous Chinese saying is '远亲不如近邻' (a distant relative is not as good as a close neighbor), emphasizing the value of nearby relationships. It also appears in the word 永远 (yǒngyuǎn) meaning 'forever'.

Common words containing 远 include: 很远 (hěn yuǎn) — Very far; 远方 (yuǎn fāng) — distant place; 远亲 (yuǎn qīn) — Distant relative.