深远
shēnyuǎn · HSK 7
profound and far-reaching
🌊 深远 = 深 deep + 远 far: depth plus distance = profound and far-reaching
深 means deep and 远 means far or distant. Together they describe something that runs deep and reaches far — used for ideas, influence, or consequences that are profound and far-reaching.
深 — water radical 氵 + 罙 (phonetic, depth)
深 combines the water radical 氵 with 罙, which depicts a hand reaching into a cave or hollow. Originally it described deep water, then broadened to mean 'deep' in any sense — distance, color, or feeling. The 氵 gives the meaning, while 罙 hints at both sound and the idea of reaching far in.
远 — 辶 (walk) + 袁 (phonetic)
远 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The 辶 radical (a walking/movement element) carries the meaning of going or distance, while 袁 (yuán) provides the sound. The traditional form 遠 shows this structure clearly; together they convey 'far' — a place reached by long travel.