The Chinese word **过渡 (guòdù)**, meaning "transition," is a compound word formed by combining two characters with closely related meanings to create an abstract, metaphorical concept. The first character, **过 (guò)**, carries the core meaning of "to pass," "to cross," or "to go through." The second character, **渡 (dù)**, specifically means "to cross a river" or "to ferry." When combined, the literal image of "crossing over a boundary (过) by ferrying across water (渡)" is extended metaphorically to describe the process of moving or changing from one state, condition, or place to another, perfectly encapsulating the idea of an intermediate or transitional phase.