经过 (jīng guò) — to pass by; to go through (an experience); (noun) process, course (of events)

Definition

经过 covers both verb 'to pass through' (a place, or an event like 经过这次考试) and noun 'process/course'. As a verb it's more general than 路过 (just passing by a place) or 经历 (experiencing something).

verb
to pass byto go through (an experience)
noun
processcourse (of events)
Measure word ·

Examples

  • 经过
    Wǒ měi tiān shàng xué dōu jīng guò nà ge gōng yuán.
    I pass by that park every day on my way to school.
  • 经过
    jīng guò Zhè cì kǎo shì, wǒ xué dào le hěn duō.
    Through this exam, I learned a lot.
  • 经过
    Qǐng bǎ shì qing de jīng guò shuō yí biàn.
    Please recount the whole process of what happened.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

jīngpass through
guòcross

经 pass through and 过 cross together mean to pass by or through.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 經; 经 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Written in full assilk; thread
Sound part声符shēngfú
jīngjīng
Same sound today

The traditional form 經 combines 糹 (silk; thread) with 巠, which gives the sound.

Open 经 →

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
chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
wāiguò
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 →

Grammar

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