Japanese word

渡る

Pronunciation

Romajiwataru

Meaning

  • verbcross

Example

道路を渡ります。dō ro o wata ri ma su

I cross the road.

Illustration for 渡る (cross)

More examples

子どもたちは手をつないで橋を渡りました。ko do mo ta chi wa te o tsu na i de hashi o wata ri ma shi ta

The children crossed the bridge holding hands.

Core concept

Describes moving from one side of a place or boundary to the other by passing through the space between them.

Common phrases

  • 道路を渡るdō ro o wata ru

    cross a road

  • 橋を渡るhashi o wata ru

    cross a bridge

  • 川を渡るkawa o wata ru

    cross a river

Similar words

横切るyokogiru: To go across a place from one side to the other, often by crossing a road or open area.
横断するōdansuru: To cross a road or other area from one side to the other in a formal way.
越えるkoeru: To go over or beyond a boundary, obstacle, or high place.

Definition in Japanese

ある場所や境界の一方から、間にある空間を通って他方へ移動する。a ru ba sho ya kyō kai no ip pō ka ra ma ni a ru kū kan o tō tte ta hō e i dō su ru

Word origin

渡る (wataru) belongs to the native Japanese vocabulary; its precise origin is not certain, while the related form 渡す (watasu) has the transitive sense of making something cross.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, 渡ります (watarimasu) is the polite non-past form used when stating that someone crosses a road, bridge, or river.

Related words

  • 渡り方watarikataway of crossingnoun

Word lists with this word