超过 (chāo guò) — to surpass, to exceed | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

超过 is the everyday 'to exceed / surpass' for amounts, speeds, or achievements (compare one thing to another). 超出 focuses on crossing a limit or boundary; 超越 is more formal and abstract (transcending a level or oneself).

verb

to surpassto exceed

Examples

超过。
Tā de chéng jì chāo guò le wǒ.
His score surpassed mine.
超过。
Zhè liàng chē de sù dù chāo guò le nà liàng.
This car's speed exceeds that one's.
超过。
Wǒ men gōng sī de shōu rù chāo guò le qù nián.
Our company's revenue exceeded last year's.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

The first part means exceed, the second means pass, so it denotes surpassing a point.

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.

走召超

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

召

召zhào超chāo

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.

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.

Appears in

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