攀越 (pān yuè) — to climb over, to scale (a physical obstacle); to surmount (a figurative obstacle or difficulty)

Definition

verb
to climb overto scale (a physical obstacle)to surmount (a figurative obstacle or difficulty)

Examples

  • 攀越。
    Tā men yòng le sān gè xiǎo shí pān yuè le nà zuò gāo shān.
    It took them three hours to scale that high mountain.
  • 攀越。
    pān yuè Rén shēng zhōng de kùn nan xū yào yǒng qì hé jiān chí.
    Surmounting difficulties in life requires courage and persistence.
  • 攀越。
    Tā chéng gōng pān yuè le nà dào xuán yá.
    He successfully climbed over that cliff.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

攀pānclimb
越yuècross

攀 (climb) and 越 (cross) combine to mean climb over or surmount.

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
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
樊
樊fán攀
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

攀 pairs 手 (hand) with 樊, which gives its sound.

Open 攀 →

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 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.