Chinese word

跨

Pronunciation

Pinyinkuà

Meaning

  • verbcross

Example

他跨过马路。tā kuà guò mǎ lù

He crossed the road.

Illustration for 跨 (cross)

More examples

公司的业务已开始跨省开展。gōng sī de yè wù yǐ kāi shǐ kuà shěng kāi zhǎn

The company's business has already begun operating across provincial borders.

Core concept

A leg lifts over an obstacle or settles on top of something, carrying the body from one side to the other or across it.

Common phrases

  • 跨上kuà shàng

    mount

  • 跨栏kuà lán

    clear hurdles

  • 跨省kuà shěng

    cross provincial borders

Similar words

跨越kuà yuè: To reach across a gap in distance, time, or stages and get to the far side.
横跨héng kuà: To stretch across a wide area or span two things from side to side.
越过yuè guò: To go over an obstacle or limit and reach the other side.
通过tōng guò: To pass through a place or past an obstacle on the way to the other side.

Definition in Chinese

把一条腿抬起越过某物，或骑在马等动物上，表示身体跨过或横越。bǎ yì tiáo tuǐ tái qǐ yuè guò mǒu wù huò qí zài mǎ děng dòng wù shàng biǎo shì shēn tǐ kuà guò huò héng yuè

Word origin

Historically, 跨 (kuà, "cross") described placing a leg over something or mounting an animal, then broadened to movement over other objects and boundaries.

Usage tips

  • In everyday speech, a result complement often follows this verb to show whether movement goes over an object or onto it, so the complement adds useful direction information.

Other meanings

  • straddleverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word