Chinese Character: 过
1. Character Basics
Radical: 辶/chuò (walk), 寸/cùn (inch)
Stroke Count: 6 strokes
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: Guò (Fourth tone), Guō (First tone as surname)
3. Meaning
Basic Meaning: To pass; to go through; to cross; to pass time
Extended Meaning: To exceed; to go beyond; to have experienced; to pass by
Additional Meaning: Used as a particle indicating past tense or completion
4. Common Words
- 过去 (guòqù) - Past, past time, formerly
Example: 过去的事情就让它过去吧。 (Guòqù de shìqing jiù ràng tā guòqù ba.) - Let bygones be bygones.
- 过来 (guòlai) - To come over; to come here
Example: 请过来坐。 (Qǐng guòlai zuò.) - Please come over and sit down.
- 超过 (chāoguò) - To exceed; to surpass
Example: 他的成绩超过了我的预期。 (Tā de chéngjì chāoguòle wǒ de yùqī.) - His grades exceeded my expectations.
- 过年 (guònián) - To celebrate the New Year
Example: 我们每年都回家过年。 (Wǒmen měinián dōu huíjiā guònián.) - We go home every year to celebrate the New Year.
- 错过 (cuòguò) - To miss; to let slip
Example: 不要错过这个机会。 (Bùyào cuòguò zhège jīhuì.) - Don't miss this opportunity.
5. Grammar & Usage
As a verb: Indicates the action of passing through, crossing, or going beyond something.
- Structure: 过 + Place (e.g., 过桥 (guò qiáo) - to cross a bridge)
- Structure: 过 + Time (e.g., 过冬天 (guò dōngtiān) - to spend the winter)
As a particle: Used after verbs to indicate completion or past experience.
- Structure: Verb + 过 (e.g., 我吃过中国菜。 (Wǒ chīguò zhōngguócài.) - I have eaten Chinese food.)
- Note: The particle 过 cannot be used with verbs that express continuous states.
6. Cultural Background
The character 过 has deep cultural significance in Chinese language and thought. Originally a pictograph representing a foot crossing a boundary, it evolved to express the concept of transition and passage.
In Chinese philosophy, the idea of "passing through" (过) is often associated with the Buddhist concept of impermanence and the Daoist emphasis on the natural flow of life.
The particle usage of 过 is particularly important in Chinese grammar, as it allows speakers to express past experiences and completed actions without complex verb conjugations.
Idioms containing 过 include 过目不忘 (guòmùbùwàng) - to have a photographic memory, and 得过且过 (déguòqiěguò) - to muddle along, to live from day to day.
7. Example Sentence
Sentence 1: 他刚从北京过来。 (Tā gāng cóng Běijīng guòlai.) - He just came from Beijing.
Sentence 2: 我们已经学过这个汉字了。 (Wǒmen yǐjīng xuéguò zhège hànzì le.) - We have already learned this Chinese character.
Sentence 3: 时间过得真快！(Shíjiān guòde zhēn kuài!) - Time passes so quickly!
8. Memory Tips
1. Break it down: The character 过 consists of 辶 (walking radical) and 寸 (inch). Imagine walking past an inch marker - something small that you pass by.
2. Visual association: Think of the 辶 radical as legs walking, and the 寸 as a small step. Together they represent moving past something.
3. Word association: Associate 过 with common words like 过去 (past) or 过来 (come over) to reinforce its meaning.
4. Stroke order: Practice writing the character in the correct stroke order: dot, horizontal, vertical hook, horizontal, right-falling stroke, then the walking radical.
5. Use it in sentences: Create your own sentences using 过 to practice both its verb and particle uses.