穿过

• Pinyin: chuān guò
• Hanzi breakdown: 穿 = 穴 (cave) + 牙 (tooth) = to pierce through; 过 = 辶 (walk) + 寸 (inch) = to pass

Meaning

To pass through; to go through; to cross. To move from one side to the other of something.

Used for passing through physical spaces like tunnels, forests, crowds, or streets. Can also describe light, sound, or other things penetrating through barriers. More dynamic than 经过.

Examples

1. 阳光穿过窗帘照进房间。 Sunlight passed through the curtains and shone into the room.
2. 我们穿过一片树林才到达村庄。 We passed through a forest before reaching the village.
3. 她穿过人群，挤到了舞台前面。 She pushed through the crowd and squeezed to the front of the stage.

Usage Guide

Context: movement, narrative, descriptive

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 子弹穿过了他的肩膀。(The bullet passed through his shoulder.)
• 穿过这条街就是火车站了。(Cross this street and you'll reach the train station.)

Don't Say

• 穿过这本书 (穿过 is for physical spaces — for finishing a book, use 看完 or 读完)

Origin & History

Compound of 穿 (to pierce, to pass through) and 过 (to cross, to pass). Together they emphasize the action of going through.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal