远处
yuǎnchù · HSK 5
distance
🔭 远 = far + 处 = place; literally 'far place' = the distance
远 (yuǎn) means far or distant; 处 (chù) means place, spot, or location. Stack them and you get 'far place' — the distance, or a faraway point. The same 处 shows up in 到处 (everywhere) and 住处 (residence).
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.
处 — 夂 (foot) + 几 (low table/stool)
Originally depicted a person stopping (夂, an inverted foot) beside a stool (几), suggesting someone settling down in a place. From 'to dwell/stay' the meaning broadened to 'place, location' (chù) and 'to handle, deal with' (chǔ). The simplified form drops the older 虍 top found in 處.