跨

Étymologie et composants

The Chinese character 跨 (kuà) is composed of two parts: the radical 辵 (chuò), which represents walking or movement, and the phonetic component 夸 (kuā), which represents boasting or bragging. The original meaning of 跨 was "to step over" or "to stride", which is related to the idea of movement implied by the radical 辵. Over time, the meaning of 跨 expanded to include the idea of "to straddle" or "to mount", as well as the figurative sense of "to surpass" or "to excel". The phonetic component 夸 also contributes to the meaning of 跨, as it suggests the idea of "boasting" or "exaggerating", which can be related to the sense of "surpassing" or "excelling".In modern Chinese, 跨 is commonly used in a variety of contexts. It can be used as a verb to mean "to step over", "to stride", "to straddle", or "to mount". For example, the sentence "他跨过小溪" means "He stepped over the stream". It can also be used as a noun to mean "a step", "a stride", or "a span". For example, the sentence "他走了一大跨" means "He took a big step". Additionally, 跨 can be used in a figurative sense to mean "to surpass" or "to excel". For example, the sentence "他跨越了重重困难" means "He overcame many difficulties".Overall, the etymology of the Chinese character 跨 provides insights into its meaning and usage. The combination of the radical 辵 and the phonetic component 夸 suggests the idea of movement, stepping over, and surpassing, which are all reflected in the various meanings and applications of this character in modern Chinese.