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过关 (guò guān) — to pass (a test, check, or standard); to get through (a difficulty or ordeal)

Definition

过关 (guò guān) is a separable verb meaning to clear a hurdle — pass a test, meet a standard, or get past a difficulty. Unlike 通过 (tōng guò), it is often about overcoming a specific challenge rather than formal approval.

verb
to pass (a test, check, or standard)to get through (a difficulty or ordeal)

Examples

  • 过关。
    Zhè cì de miàn shì tā zhōng yú guò guān le.
    He finally passed this interview.
  • ，过关。
    Zhè ge yóu xì zuì hòu yì guān hěn nán, dàn wǒ guò guān le.
    The last level of this game is hard, but I passed it.
  • ，。
    Jīng guò nǔ lì, wǒ men zhōng yú guò le zhè yì guān.
    Through hard work, we finally got past this hurdle.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

过guòpass
关guānbarrier

过 means pass, and 关 is the checkpoint or barrier being crossed, giving pass a test or get 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 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 →

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 關; 关 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
門門méndoor
Sound part声符shēngfú
𢇅
𢇅𢇅關guān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 关, the traditional form 關 shows 門 as a door and 𢇅 as two wooden sticks locking it, with ring-like marks on top.

Open 关 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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