过虑 (guò lǜ) — to be overanxious, to worry too much

Definition

过虑 means being excessively anxious or worrying too much about something, often unnecessarily. It points to the habit of over-worrying rather than a single instance of concern.

verb
to be overanxiousto worry too much
Easily confused

Examples

  • 过虑，。
    Nǐ bú yòng guò lǜ, shì qing huì jiě jué de.
    You don't need to be too anxious; things will work out.
  • 过虑，。
    Tā zǒng shì guò lǜ, dān xīn zhè dān xīn nà.
    She always worries too much, worrying about this and that.
  • 过虑，。
    guò lǜ Duì shēn tǐ bù hǎo, fàng sōng yì diǎn ba.
    Being overly anxious is bad for your health; relax a bit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

过guòtoo much
虑lǜworry

过 means too much, and 虑 means worry; the result is excessive anxiety.

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 慮; 虑 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
思思sīto think
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū慮lǜ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 慮 puts 思 (think) with 虍, which gives the sound; the simplified 虑 is a later shorthand.

Open 虑 →

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