Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
跨 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
跨kuàto step acrossHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 足, rank #6015, Hard
跨kuàto stride overHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 足, rank #6015, Hard
跨kuàto straddleHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 足, rank #6015, Hard
跨kuàto spanHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 足, rank #6015, Hard
跨kuàto straddle, to ride; to span, to stretch acrossHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 足, rank #6015, Hard
kuà(kua4) T4
  1. 1to step across
  2. 2to stride over
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
跨kuà(kua4)

The character 跨 (kuà) means to step across or to stride over something. It is commonly used in contexts involving physical movement across boundaries or abstractly, such as spanning different fields or subjects. This word conveys a sense of crossing from one side to another, often with a connotation of confidence or boldness.

Strokes13Radical足Frequency#6015DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The concept of crossing boundaries is significant in Chinese culture, often reflected in literature and philosophy, where it symbolizes overcoming challenges and embracing new possibilities. 跨 is frequently used in discussions about globalization, reflecting China's expanding influence across various fields.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large, bold figure striding across a wide river. The left side of the character 跨 resembles a foot stepping over the river, while the right side symbolizes the riverbank. Visualizing this crossing helps remember both the meaning and the pronunciation 'kuà'.

Meanings of 跨

kuà(kua4)
1to step across
2to stride over
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 跨

跨Simplified
13Strokes
足Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6015Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 跨

JasonAmy

Podcast: 跨

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 跨

Quick Contrast

跨 (kuà) vs 越 (yuè) — use 跨 when emphasizing the act of stepping across physically, while 越 focuses more on surpassing or transcending a boundary.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a large, bold figure striding across a wide river. The left side of the character 跨 resembles a foot stepping over the river, while the right side symbolizes the riverbank. Visualizing this crossing helps remember both the meaning and the pronunciation 'kuà'.

Usage Notes

When using 跨, be careful to maintain the correct tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other words. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but you should be cautious about its usage in poetic or literary expressions. Common collocations include 跨越 (kuàyuè, to leap over) and 跨国 (kuàguó, multinational).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 跨 is often related to more complex ideas of movement and transition. Students should focus on differentiating it from similar verbs, such as 越 (yuè), which also means to cross but with a slightly different nuance. Understanding its usage in compound words will enhance vocabulary retention.

Cultural Note

The concept of crossing boundaries is significant in Chinese culture, often reflected in literature and philosophy, where it symbolizes overcoming challenges and embracing new possibilities. 跨 is frequently used in discussions about globalization, reflecting China's expanding influence across various fields.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 跨 with related verbs like 越. For instance, saying 跨越 instead of 越过 (yuèguò, to pass over) can lead to incorrect interpretations. Make sure to use 跨 specifically for contexts involving striding or spanning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 跨

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 跨 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 跨

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

foot

Semantic (meaning)足
+
Phonetic (sound)夸
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 跨?

Decomposition of 跨

IDS Structure⿰足夸
跨Full Character
=
足ju4
left
夸kua1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 跨?

Write 跨

跨

Practice writing 跨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 跨

跨 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

铁轨____过这条河直达矿井口。

Across the river the railway track ran up to the pithead.

Example Sentences for 跨 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
铁轨跨过这条河直达矿井口。

tiě guǐ kuà guò zhè tiáo hé zhí dá kuàng jǐng kǒu。

Across the river the railway track ran up to the pithead.
2
他小心翼翼地跨过残余的隔墙。

tā xiǎo xīn yì yì dì kuà guò cán yú de gé qiáng。

He moved carefully over what remained of partition walls.
3
他和约翰凑在一起，试着用跨接引线发动他的汽车。

tā hé yuē hàn còu zài yī qǐ， ， shì zháo yòng kuà jiē yǐn xiàn fā dòng tā de qì。

He was huddled with John trying to jump-start his car.
4
最后一次看见他的时候，他正发疯般地大跨步走向饭店的前台。

zuì hòu yī cì kàn jiàn tā de shí hòu， ， tā zhèng fā fēng bān dì dà kuà bù zǒu xiàng fàn diàn de qián。

He was last seen striding maniacally to the hotel reception.
5
货币兑换成本仍是跨境贸易的最大障碍之一。

huò bì duì huàn chéng běn réng shì kuà jìng mào yì de zuì dà zhàng ài zhī yī。

Currency-conversion costs remain one of the biggest obstacles to cross-border trade.
6
布鲁斯接通了低速挡,开车速度快得令人害怕; 他在使前轮分跨地裂的同时曲曲折折地前进.

bù lǔ sī jiē tōng le dī sù dǎng, , kāi chē sù dù kuài dé líng rén hài; pà ; tā zài shǐ qián lún fēn kuà dì liè de tóng shí qū qū zhē zhē dì.

Bruce engaged low gear and drove at a terrifying speed, keeping the front wheels astride the crack as he followed its zig - zag course.
7
这些矿藏绵延一百公里,跨越四个县.

zhè xiē kuàng cáng mián yán yī bǎi gōng lǐ, , kuà yuè sì gè.

The deposits spread for 100 kilometers across four counties.
8
同那些跨国公司比,这些当地的公司不过是小鱼小虾.

tóng nà xiē kuà guó gōng sī bǐ, , zhè xiē dāng dì de gōng sī bù guò shì xiǎo yú xiǎo.

These local companies are only small fry compared with the huge multinationals.
9
他傲然跨出电梯, 走到二楼,我刚好站在那儿.

tā ào rán kuà chū diàn tī, , zǒu dào èr, lóu , wǒ gāng hǎo zhàn zài.

Haughtily, he stalked out onto the second floor where I was standing.
10
他跨上马骑走了。

tā kuà shàng mǎ qí zǒu le。

He mounted his horse and rode off.

Cultural Notes for 跨

🏮Cultural insight

The concept of crossing boundaries is significant in Chinese culture, often reflected in literature and philosophy, where it symbolizes overcoming challenges and embracing new possibilities. 跨 is frequently used in discussions about globalization, reflecting China's expanding influence across various fields.

Word Family of 跨

Words Containing This Character14
跨kuàto span
跨越kuàyuèstep over
跨过to surmount跨過
跨国kuàguótransnational跨國
跨国公司transnational corporation跨國公司
横跨to span橫跨
跨度span
跨越式breakthrough
跨步to take a (striding) step
跨栏hurdles跨欄
跨上to mount (a horse, bike, flight of stairs, rickshaw etc)
跨学科interdisciplinary跨學科
跨线桥flyover (road bridge)跨線橋
跨国化to globalize跨國化
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 跨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 跨

It can be used to describe physically stepping over an object or metaphorically, such as straddling two different roles or fields.