越洋 (yuè yáng) — to cross the ocean; to go overseas

Definition

越洋 (yuè yáng) literally means 'to cross the ocean' — used for going overseas, or (as in 越洋电话) for something reaching across the ocean.

verb
to cross the oceanto go overseas

Examples

  • 越洋。
    Tā yuè yáng qù liú xué le.
    He crossed the ocean to study abroad.
  • 越洋。
    Tā men dǎ le yí gè yuè yáng diàn huà.
    They made an overseas phone call.
  • 。
    Tā zhī yuè guò yí cì yáng.
    He has only crossed the ocean once.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

越yuècross
洋yángocean

越 (cross) is directed at 洋 (ocean), giving the idea of crossing the sea.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
走走zǒuto walk or run
Sound part声符shēngfú
戉
戉yuè越yuè
Same sound today

越 is built from 走 (to walk or run) and 戉 (which supplies the sound); the 走 part shows the idea of going over or crossing.

Open 越 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
羊
羊yáng洋yáng
Same sound today

洋 pairs 氵, the water part, with 羊 to give its sound.

Open 洋 →

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