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遼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
liáodistant, farzg, 15 strokes, radical 辶, Very Hard
liáo(liao2) T2
  1. 1distant, far
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
liáo(liao2)

The character 遼 (liáo) means 'distant' or 'far,' often used to describe something that is far away in space or time. It conveys a sense of remoteness and is commonly found in geographical names and expressions relating to distance.

Strokes15RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The character 遼 is associated with the Liao Dynasty (遼朝), a significant historical period in Chinese history that ruled parts of northern China from the 10th to the 12th century. This emphasizes the character's connotation of distance, as the dynasty's influence extended over vast territories.

Memory Tip

Imagine a long road stretching into the distance, with the character 遼 appearing like a horizon line at the end. The left side of the character, 辶, represents movement or a path, while the right side, 了, suggests completion or finality, indicating a long journey ahead.

Meanings of 遼

liáo(liao2)
1distant, far
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 遼

Simplified
15Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 遼

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 遼

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a long road stretching into the distance, with the character 遼 appearing like a horizon line at the end. The left side of the character, 辶, represents movement or a path, while the right side, 了, suggests completion or finality, indicating a long journey ahead.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 遼 with similar-sounding characters, so it's important to practice its pronunciation and context. 遼 is typically used in written language and can appear in both formal and informal contexts, especially in literature or historical references.

HSK Study Tips

While 遼 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with words like 远 (yuǎn, far) and 近 (jìn, near), which are essential for expressing distance. Students should focus on distinguishing between these related terms to enhance their vocabulary.

Cultural Note

The character 遼 is associated with the Liao Dynasty (遼朝), a significant historical period in Chinese history that ruled parts of northern China from the 10th to the 12th century. This emphasizes the character's connotation of distance, as the dynasty's influence extended over vast territories.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly write 遼 using incorrect tones or confuse it with 了 (le), which has a different meaning. Always remember to use the correct tone: 遼 (liáo) vs. 了 (le).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 遼

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Etymology of 遼

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 了 represents the sound. Simplified form of 遼.

Memory Hint

walk

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 遼?

Decomposition of 遼

IDS Structure⿺辶尞
Full Character
=
chuo4
enclosing
liao4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 遼?

Write 遼

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 遼

🏮Cultural insight

The character 遼 is associated with the Liao Dynasty (遼朝), a significant historical period in Chinese history that ruled parts of northern China from the 10th to the 12th century. This emphasizes the character's connotation of distance, as the dynasty's influence extended over vast territories.

Word Family of 遼

Words Containing This Character20
辽阔liáokuòvast遼闊
liáoLiao or Khitan dynasty (907-1125)
辽宁Liaoning province in northeast China, short name 遼|辽[Liáo], capital Shenyang 瀋陽|沈阳[Shěn​yáng]遼寧
辽宁省Liaoning province in northeast China, short name 遼|辽[Liáo], capital Shenyang 瀋陽|沈阳[Shěn​yáng]遼寧省
辽东east of Liao river 遼河|辽河遼東
辽阳Liaoyang prefecture-level city in Liaoning province 遼寧省|辽宁省 in northeast China遼陽
辽河Liao River of northeast China, passing through Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Jilin and Liaoning遼河
辽西west of Liaoning遼西
辽源Liaoyuan prefecture-level city in Jilin province 吉林省 in northeast China遼源
辽阳市Liaoyang prefecture-level city in Liaoning province 遼寧省|辽宁省 in northeast China遼陽市
通辽Tongliao prefecture level city in Inner Mongolia通遼
通辽市Tongliao prefecture level city in Inner Mongolia通遼市
辽宁大学Liaoning University遼寧大學
辽东半岛Liaodong Peninsula遼東半島
辽远distant遼遠
辽源市Liaoyuan prefecture-level city in Jilin province 吉林省 in northeast China遼源市
辽沈战役Liaoshen Campaign (Sep-Nov 1948), the first of the three major campaigns by the People's Liberation Army near the end of the Chinese Civil War遼瀋戰役
辽中Liaozhong county in Shenyang 瀋陽|沈阳, Liaoning遼中
辽中县Liaozhong county in Shenyang 瀋陽|沈阳, Liaoning遼中縣
辽史History of the Liao Dynasty, twenty first of the 24 dynastic histories 二十四史[Er​shí​sì​Shǐ], composed under Toktoghan 脫脫|脱脱[Tuō​tuō] in 1345 during the Yuan Dynasty 元[Yuán], 116 scrolls遼史
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 辽阔 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 遼

It is pronounced as 'liáo' with the third tone.