1.
estranged; distant; having infrequent contact
describing a relationship where contact has become rare or the emotional distance has grown
兄とは疎遠になった。
I've become estranged from my older brother.
疎遠になっていた友人から連絡があった。
I got a call from a friend I'd lost touch with.
引っ越してから親戚とは疎遠になりがちだ。
Since moving, I tend to lose touch with relatives.
FORMATION:
疎 (distant, sparse) + 遠 (far) → distant and far
GRAMMAR:
疎遠になる (to become estranged)
疎遠な関係 (an estranged relationship)
RELATED WORDS:
- 絶縁 (breaking ties completely - stronger)
- 疎い (estranged, unfamiliar)
- 親しい (close, intimate - opposite)
- 遠ざかる (to grow distant)
DISTINCTION:
疎遠 implies a gradual drifting apart, often without active hostility. 絶縁 implies a deliberate cutting of ties, often due to conflict.