跨

kuà

夸 + 𧾷

HSK 2.0Level 6

HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

kuà (verb) to step across; to stride over

kuà (verb) to straddle; to span

Etymology phono-semantic

foot

Semantic: 足 Phonetic: 夸

About

跨 (kuà) is a phono-semantic compound: its left side is the foot radical 足 (zú), indicating an action of the legs, while its right side is 夸 (kuā), which provides the sound. 夸 by itself means 'to boast' or 'to exaggerate', and here it may also hint at the wide, expansive nature of the movement. The character's concrete senses are to take a long stride, straddle something, or step right over an obstacle. These physical meanings give rise to figurative uses such as crossing geographical boundaries, spanning different eras, or bridging separate academic disciplines.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

孩子跨过小水沟。

Háizi kuà guò xiǎo shuǐgōu.

The child stepped over the small ditch.

我们跨越这座桥。

Wǒmen kuàyuè zhè zuò qiáo.

We cross this bridge.

跨行业合作很重要。

Kuà hángyè hézuò hěn zhòngyào.

Cross-industry cooperation is very important.

这部电影跨越了三十年。

Zhè bù diànyǐng kuàyuèle sānshí nián.

This movie spans thirty years.

跨文化沟通需要技巧。

Kuà wénhuà gōutōng xūyào jìqiǎo.

Cross-cultural communication requires skills.

这个软件是跨平台的。

Zhège ruǎnjiàn shì kuà píngtái de.

This software is cross-platform.

研究项目涉及跨学科知识。

Yánjiū xiàngmù shèjí kuà xuékē zhīshì.

The research project involves interdisciplinary knowledge.

跨国公司必须适应本地市场。

Kuàguó gōngsī bìxū shìyìng běndì shìchǎng.

Multinational companies must adapt to local markets.

Related Characters

Component: 夸

Component: 𧾷

跨