遠(とお)い昔(むかし)

とおいむかし
noun
long ago; the distant past
time-general
1. long ago; the distant past
A time far in the past. Used to refer to events, periods, or memories from a long time ago.
それは遠(とお)い昔(むかし)の話(はなし)だ。
That's a story from long ago.
遠(とお)い昔(むかし)、この辺(あた)りは海(うみ)だったそうだ。
I hear that long ago, this area was the sea.
子供(こども)の頃(ころ)のことなんて遠(とお)い昔(むかし)のことで、もうほとんど覚(おぼ)えていない。
Things from my childhood feel like the distant past — I can barely remember them anymore.

A phrase combining 遠(とお)い (distant/far) and 昔(むかし) (the past/old times). Functions as a set expression to emphasize how far back in time something was. Often used to begin stories or reminiscences, similar to English "long, long ago."

Common collocations

  • 遠(とお)い昔(むかし)の話(はなし) — a story from long ago
  • 遠(とお)い昔(むかし)のこと — something from the distant past
  • 遠(とお)い昔(むかし)に — long ago (adverbial use)

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 大昔(おおむかし) (a very long time ago (single compound…)
Compare: 昔々(むかしむかし) (once upon a time (fairy-tale opening)
general
Added 2026.5.7 0:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
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