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过错 (guò cuò) — mistake; error; fault; blame; responsibility (for a fault)

Definition

A formal noun for 'fault' or 'mistake,' especially one for which you bear blame. Stronger and more serious than 错误 (general error) and legal in tone like 过失; it is not a minor slip like 失误.

noun
mistakeerrorfaultblameresponsibility (for a fault)

Examples

  • 过错，。
    Rèn hé rén dōu kě néng fàn guò cuò, guān jiàn shì yào cóng zhōng xué xí.
    Anyone can make a mistake; what matters is to learn from it.
  • 过错。
    Nǐ bì xū wèi zì jǐ de guò cuò chéng dān zé rèn.
    You must take responsibility for your own fault.
  • 过错。
    Fǎ guān rèn dìng zhè chǎng shì gù de zhǔ yào guò cuò zài yú sī jī.
    The judge determined that the main fault for this accident lies with the driver.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

过guòfault
错cuòmistake

过 and 错 both carry the sense of fault or error, so the word names a mistake or responsibility for a fault.

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 錯; 错 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīnmetal
Sound part声符shēngfú
昔
昔xī錯cuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 錯 pairs 金 (metal) with 昔 as a sound part; the simplified 错 is a later abbreviation.

Open 错 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract Concepts

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