Meanings of 过
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 过
Podcast: 过
Podcast: 过
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 过
过 (guò) vs 了 (le) — use 过 to emphasize past experiences, while 了 indicates a completed action.
Common mistakes include confusing 过 with 过了 (guò le), which emphasizes completion of an action. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious not to overuse it for actions that are not experienced. Common collocations include 过生日 (celebrate a birthday) and 过马路 (cross the street).
As an HSK Level 2 word, 过 connects to other verbs indicating movement or change, such as 来 (come) and 去 (go). Students should focus on using 过 in sentences to express past experiences and actions in context.
Learners often mistakenly use 过 for actions that are not completed or experienced, such as saying 我过了去商店 (I have passed to the store) instead of saying 我去过商店 (I have been to the store).
Pronunciation of 过
Drill the tone of 过 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Etymology of 过
Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 咼 represents the sound. The simplified character 过 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 過.
walk
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 过
Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 咼 represents the sound. The simplified character 过 was adapted from the cursive form of the traditional character 過.
- 1The meaning half辶 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half咼 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaywalk
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 过? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 过?
Decomposition of 过
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 过?
How to say (experienced action marker) in Chinese
“(experienced action marker)” in Chinese is过
The character 过 (guò) primarily signifies the action of passing or crossing, whether in a physical sense or in terms of time. It can denote the experience of an action, as in having done something in the past, and is also used to indicate excessiveness or the celebration of holidays.
When to use 过
Common mistakes include confusing 过 with 过了 (guò le), which emphasizes completion of an action. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious not to overuse it for actions that are not experienced. Common collocations include 过生日 (celebrate a birthday) and 过马路 (cross the street).
过 or something close to it
过 (guò) vs 了 (le) — use 过 to emphasize past experiences, while 了 indicates a completed action.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 过 for actions that are not completed or experienced, such as saying 我过了去商店 (I have passed to the store) instead of saying 我去过商店 (I have been to the store).
Write 过
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 过 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 过
过 carries 11 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
我去____北京两次。
I've been to Beijing twice.
Example Sentences for 过 (15)
Word Family of 过
Compound Meaning
What does 挝 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 过
You can use it to indicate that you have experienced something, e.g., 我过很多国家 (I have been to many countries).
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 过?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.