far cry

IPA/fˈɑː kɹˈaɪ/
IPA/fˈɑːɹ kɹˈaɪ/

far cry — idiom

1. used to describe a place that is very far from where you are, often emphasising

1.慣用語B2
釋義

used to describe a place that is very far from where you are, often emphasising the time or effort needed to reach it.

例句

Mai's village was a far cry from the hospital, so the ambulance took nearly two hours to arrive.

a far cry from [place] — emphasising travel distance

The trailhead is a far cry from the car park — Tomás said the hike was over six hours uphill.

同義詞
  • a long way

    more neutral; 'far cry' adds a tone of inconvenience

  • miles away

    informal; focuses on raw distance rather than effort

反義詞

文法句型

a far cry from [place]

用法筆記

Always followed by 'from': 'a far cry from [place]'. The phrase stresses the practical difficulty of reaching a distant location, not just the raw kilometres.

常見錯誤

❌The shop is a far cry from here, only 500 metres away.
✅The shop is a far cry from here
💡it is nearly a two-hour drive.' — The phrase implies a very long distance that requires noticeable effort to cover.

2. used to say that two things are so extremely different that they can hardly be c

2.慣用語B2
釋義

used to say that two things are so extremely different that they can hardly be compared.

例句

The film was a far cry from the novel — the director changed the ending completely and removed two main characters.

a far cry from [something] — contrasting two things

Camila's quiet hometown was a far cry from the noisy city where she now works.

同義詞
反義詞

文法句型

a far cry from [something]

用法筆記

Always followed by 'from': 'a far cry from [something]'. The comparison is always unfavourable or surprising — the first thing falls short of or contrasts sharply with the second.

常見錯誤

❌My new job is a far cry different from my old one.
✅My new job is a far cry from my old one.
💡Do not add 'different'; the phrase already contains the idea of difference.
❌Red and blue are a far cry.
✅Red is a far cry from blue.
💡The two items being compared must be joined by 'from'.