Differences between 遠, 遙 and 遐

[Mark Yong]

Would it be accurate to say that the words 遠, 遙 and 遐 have subtly different meanings as the English far, remote and distant?

遙控 - remote control

遐想 - distant (lofty) dreams

[Jane_PA]

远 is less farther than 遥. But 遥远 can use together. 对于中国人来说，美国是个遥远的地方。美国离中国很远。

月亮是个遥不可及的地方。

遥控 is a combined word, never said 远控.but you can say 远程控制系统，never said 遥程控制系统。so many words just like English, there is no specific reason why they are used that way, just people use that way.

I never connect 遐 with 远。遐usually used with other words combined. 引人遐思。

[Mark Yong]

Jane_PA said:

遥控 is a combined word

One instance I know where 遙 is used in isolation is the saying "路遙知馬力、日久見人心。"

Jane_PA said:

I never connect 遐 with 远。遐usually used with other words combined. 引人遐思。

Well, there is 遐邇 (far and near).

[mushroom]

I think 遐思, 遐想, 遙想 are the same, for example:

「何茲世之可久兮，宜永念而遐思。」 李翱 (Li Ao)

「悠然心永懷，眇爾自遐想。」 郭璞 (Guo Pu)

「遙想公瑾當年，小喬初嫁了，雄姿英發。」 蘇軾 (Su Shi)

[Jane_PA]

One instance I know where 遙 is used in isolation is the saying "路遙知馬力、日久見人心。"

Sure, in 文言文，many Chinese words use sololy. But in morden Chinese, it is rare to use a solo character although solo characters do have their own meanings independently. We may say， 长春离北京很远，but we would not say 长春离北京很遥。

Well, there is 遐邇 (far and near).

Ture, this is a normal usage for 遐,闻名遐迩, I forgot it。But still, 遐 is not like a frequently used spoken language for the meaning 远, particularly for a learner who cannot tell the difference between 遥 and 远。遥 and 远 might by confusing, but 遐 would never occured to me for this comparison. 遐 may only be used for several combined meanings like 闻名遐迩 or 遐思. I cannot recall other situations that 遐 would be used besides this 遐迩。So, 遐should be very easy to differentiate.

I am sure that many solo Chinese characters have their meanings， but many meanings dependent on the combinations.

[Mark Yong]

Jane_PA said:

I am sure that many solo Chinese characters have their meanings， but many meanings dependent on the combinations.

I agree with your point that in modern Chinese, particularly spoken Chinese, compound words and reduction in the number of variant words that have similar meanings is the order of the day.

To clarify, my initial enquiry was mainly from a historical and semantic angle - whether originally, these words had distinct (however small) meanings, or were they merely regional versions (I believe a similar thread on words for colours was started elsewhere). I believe that in many cases, it is the former, but over time and by virtue of standardisation, they have converged to a particular set of words for common usage.