穿越

• Pinyin: chuān yuè
• Hanzi breakdown: 穿 = 穴 (cave) + 牙 (tooth) = to pierce; 越 = 走 (walk) + 戉 (axe, phonetic) = to cross over

Meaning

To traverse; to cross; to travel through (time or space). Often used for time travel in fiction.

Besides physical crossing of terrain, very popular in contemporary usage for time travel (穿越剧 time-travel dramas). Can describe crossing dangerous areas, historical periods, or dimensions in fiction. A trendy word in youth culture.

Examples

1. 这部小说讲的是女主角穿越回古代的故事。 This novel is about the heroine traveling back to ancient times.
2. 探险队穿越了茫茫沙漠。 The expedition team traversed the vast desert.
3. 信号穿越大气层需要几秒钟。 It takes a few seconds for the signal to pass through the atmosphere.

Usage Guide

Context: fiction, adventure, entertainment

Tone: dynamic

Do Say

• 如果能穿越时空，你想去哪个朝代？(If you could travel through time, which dynasty would you want to visit?)
• 火车穿越隧道，很快就到站了。(The train passes through the tunnel and will arrive at the station soon.)

Don't Say

• 我穿越马路 (For simply crossing a street, use 过马路 — 穿越 implies a longer, more dramatic journey)

Origin & History

Compound of 穿 (to pierce, pass through) and 越 (to cross over, exceed). Modern time-travel meaning emerged from internet fiction.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal