疏远

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 搬家后,他和老朋友渐渐疏远了。▶ —
   After moving, he gradually grew distant from old friends.
2. 别让误会使我们疏远。▶ —
   Don’t let a misunderstanding drive us apart.

Collocations

Mnemonic

疏 shū "sparse, distant" + 远 yuǎn "far": growing sparse and far apart, i.e. to become estranged, to drift apart. Korean renders it as "to grow estranged, drift apart". A once-close bond gradually growing distant (日渐疏远 drifting apart day by day). It is the opposite of 亲密 (intimate), the pair 疏 "sparse" against 密 "close". It is both intransitive and transitive ("to drift apart" / "to keep at a distance"). 疏 means "sparse, to neglect" (生疏, 疏忽); 远 means "far" (远近).

Related

Quick check

1. What does 疏远 mean?

   • to grow estranged, drift apart
   • to grow closer
   • to sever ties
   • to hide a relationship