(chāo) — to exceed, surpass (a limit, standard, or amount)

Definition

Examples

  • Zhè ge yuè de shōu rù chāo le shàng ge yuè.
    This month's income exceeded last month's.
  • Tā de pǎo bù sù dù chāo guò le wǒ hěn duō.
    His running speed surpassed mine by a lot.
  • 95
    Tā kǎo shì de píng jūn fēn shù chāo le 95 fēn.
    His average test score exceeded 95 points.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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
zǒurun
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhàochāo
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

超 pairs 走, meaning “run,” with 召, which gives the sound.

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