过 meaning and stroke order
To cross; to go over; to pass (time)
How to write 过, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 过
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to cross
- to go over
- to pass (time)
- to celebrate (a holiday)
- to live
- to get along
- (experienced action marker)
How 过 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 咼 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 过
The walking radical 辶 sweeps under 寸 (cùn, an inch), so picture someone walking step by step, inch by inch, until they pass across to the other side. The etymology data says 辶 gives the meaning "walk", while the traditional form's 咼 originally gave the sound.
As guò it means to cross, to pass time, or to celebrate, as in 过年 (guònián) to celebrate the New Year. Placed after a verb and read in the neutral tone, guo marks something you have experienced at least once. Example: 我去过北京。(Wǒ qùguo Běijīng.) I have been to Beijing.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse experiential 过 with completed 了: 我吃过饺子 means you have tried dumplings before, while 我吃了饺子 means you ate them on this occasion. Also, the negative uses 没, not 不: say 我没去过 (wǒ méi qùguo), not 我不去过.
Common words with 过
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 不过 | bùguò | only; merely | HSK 2 |
| 过来 | guòlái | to come over; to manage | HSK 2 |
| 过去 | guòqù | (in the) past; former; previous; to go over; to pass by | HSK 2 |
| 通过 | tōngguò | to pass through; to get through; to adopt (a resolution); to pass (legislation) | HSK 2 |
| 经过 | jīngguò | to pass; to go through | HSK 2 |
| 超过 | chāoguò | to surpass; to exceed | HSK 2 |
| 难过 | nánguò | to feel sad; to feel unwell | HSK 2 |
| 见过 | jiànguo | HSK 2 | |
| 走过 | zǒuguò | to walk past; to pass by | HSK 2 |
| 过年 | guònián | to celebrate the Chinese New Year | HSK 2 |
| 过程 | guòchéng | course of events; process | HSK 3 |
| 度过 | dùguò | to pass; to spend (time) | HSK 4 |
| 过分 | guòfèn | excessive; undue; unduly; overly | HSK 4 |
| 只不过 | zhǐbùguò | only; merely; nothing but; no more than; it's just that ... | HSK 5 |
过 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 过
Learning 过 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 过
How many strokes are in 过?
过 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 过 mean?
过 (guò) means to cross; to go over; to pass (time). A common word with it is 不过 (bùguò), meaning "only; merely".
How do you pronounce 过?
过 is pronounced guò, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 过?
The radical of 过 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 过 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 过?
The traditional form of 过 is 過. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 过 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 过 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 过 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
How do you say "too much" or "overly" with 过?
过 can come before an adjective to mean "excessively", as in 过多 (guòduō) too many or 过度 (guòdù) excessive. In speech, 太 (tài) is more common for everyday "too".
What does 过来 mean after another verb?
After a verb, 过来 (guòlai) shows movement toward the speaker, as in 走过来 (zǒu guòlai) to walk over here. Its partner 过去 (guòqu) shows movement away, as in 走过去 (zǒu guòqu) to walk over there.