跨过 (kuà guò) — to step over, to cross over (physical or metaphorical)

Definition

A resultative verb: physically step over an obstacle, or figuratively get past a difficulty or threshold. The 过 signals the crossing has been completed (so it takes 了).

verb
to step overto cross over (physical or metaphorical)

Examples

  • 跨过。
    Tā qīng sōng dì kuà guò le nà tiáo xiǎo hé.
    He easily stepped over that small river.
  • 跨过。
    Wǒ men zhōng yú kuà guò le zuì kùn nan de yì guān.
    We finally got through the hardest hurdle.
  • ,跨过。
    Bié pà, kuà guò zhè dào mén kǎn jiù xíng le.
    Don't be afraid, just step over this threshold.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

跨kuàstride

“跨” means to stride and “过” adds movement over or past.

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
Sound part声符shēngfú
夸
夸kuā跨kuà
Same sound today

The left part 足, a foot, points to stepping or striding, while the right part 夸 gives the sound.

Open 跨 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 過; 过 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
咼
咼wāi過guò
Same sound today

The traditional form 過 pairs 辵 (walk) with 咼 as a sound component; the simplified 过 is a shorthand, and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 过 →
Appears in

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