远在 + 地点
far away in; as far off as
Structure
人／事物 远在 遥远的地方 · 远在 地点 的 人／事物 · 远在 地点 之外
What it means
Places something far from the speaker or the story, often with a note of distance, longing or surprise: 'far away in', 'as far off as'.
How it is built
Person／thing + 远在 + far place, or 远在 + place + 的 + noun: 女儿远在德国读书 (Her daughter is studying far away in Germany); 远在海外的亲人 (relatives far away overseas).
When to use it
Literary and written; in speech say 在很远的…. It can reach back in time (远在汉代), but there 早在…就… (4-8) is usual. Saying: 远在天边，近在眼前 (what you were looking for is right in front of you).
Watch out
Don't say the distance twice: ✗远在很远的地方 ✓远在他乡. The place after 远在 should be far in itself.
Examples
女儿远在德国读书，一年只能回家一次。
Her daughter is studying far away in Germany and can come home only once a year.
远在千里之外的游子，最惦记的还是家里的年夜饭。
For those a thousand li from home, what they miss most is still the New Year’s Eve dinner back home.
这种茶不仅在国内有名，远在欧洲也有不少人喜欢。
This tea is not only well known at home; as far away as Europe plenty of people love it.
Learn this in Lesson 168 · HSK 7–9: 鄱阳湖的候鸟 (The winter birds of Poyang Lake)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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