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错过 (cuò guò) — to miss (a train, opportunity, phone call, etc.)

Definition

错过 means to miss something time-sensitive (a train, call, opportunity) and often implies regret. 机遇 and 机会 are the things you 错过; 掌握 is to actively seize them.

verb
to miss (a train, opportunity, phone call, etc.)

Examples

  • 错过。
    Wǒ cuò guò le qù běi jīng de huǒ chē.
    I missed the train to Beijing.
  • 错过。
    Kě xī nǐ cuò guò le zhè cì jī huì.
    It's a pity you missed this opportunity.
  • 错过。
    Wǒ zuó tiān cuò guò le tā de diàn huà.
    I missed his call yesterday.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

错cuòmiss
过guòpast

“错” conveys missing and “过” adds passing by, so a train or chance goes by unnoticed.

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 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 →

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 →
Appears in
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