Meaning of 跨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to step across
- to stride over
- to straddle
- to span
How to use 跨
跨 means to step or stretch across something, like a road, a river, a border, or even a field of study. It often appears in compounds such as 跨国 (kuàguó) and 跨越 (kuàyuè). Example: 这座桥跨过长江。(Zhè zuò qiáo kuà guò Cháng Jiāng.) This bridge spans the Yangtze River.
跨 has the foot radical 足 on the left and 夸 (kuā) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture a foot taking a big, boastful stride over something.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 跨 (kuà, fourth tone) with its sound part 夸 (kuā, first tone), which means to praise. Remember that the foot radical 足 means movement, and the tone drops to the fourth.
跨 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
跨 kuà · to step across · 13 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 跨.
Questions about 跨
What does 跨 mean?
跨 (kuà) means "to step across; to stride over" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 跨?
跨 is made of 1 character: 跨 (13 strokes). That is 13 strokes in total.
Is 跨 an HSK word?
Yes. 跨 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 跨 and 过?
过 (guò) is a general word for passing or crossing. 跨 stresses a big step or a stretch from one side to the other, so the two often combine as 跨过 (kuàguò).
Can 跨 be used for abstract things?
Yes. It is common with time, culture, and fields, as in 跨年 (kuànián) crossing into the new year, or 跨文化 (kuà wénhuà) cross-cultural.