越える

• Reading: こえる
• Romaji: koeru
• Kanji breakdown: 越 (etsu/ko) — to cross over, to exceed
• Pronunciation: /ko.e.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To cross over; to go beyond; to exceed. Used for physically crossing boundaries or surpassing limits.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb conjugated by dropping る. Can describe crossing physical barriers (mountains, borders) or exceeding abstract limits (numbers, expectations). Often interchangeable with 超える for the 'exceed' meaning, though 越える emphasizes physical crossing while 超える stresses surpassing.

Examples

1. 山を越えると美しい湖が見える。 If you cross the mountain, you can see a beautiful lake.
2. 参加者が百人を越えた。 The number of participants exceeded one hundred.
3. 国境を越えて隣の国に入った。 We crossed the border and entered the neighboring country.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, geography, statistics

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 越 combines 走 (run) and 戉 (an axe-like tool), originally depicting crossing over an obstacle.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal