走过

• Pinyin: zǒu guò
• Hanzi breakdown: 走 = 土 (earth) + 止 (foot), meaning 'to walk'; 过 = 辶 (walk) + 寸 (inch)

Meaning

To walk past; to walk through. Indicates passing by a place on foot.

A directional complement verb where 走 (walk) + 过 (past/through) can mean physically walking past something. With the experiential 过, it can also mean 'have walked (before).' Context determines the meaning.

Examples

1. 他从我身边走过，没有看我。 He walked past me without looking at me.
2. 我们走过那座桥就到了。 Once we walk across that bridge, we'll be there.
3. 她每天都走过这条街去上班。 She walks along this street every day to go to work.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, narrative

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 我刚才走过那家店。(I just walked past that shop.)
• 你走过这条路吗？(Have you walked along this road before?)

Don't Say

• 我走过了他很快。(Don't place the adverb after the object — say 我很快地从他身边走过 or 我快速走过了他身边.)

Origin & History

Compound of 走 (to walk) and 过 (to pass/cross), literally 'walk past.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal