过 (guò) is a Chinese character meaning “to pass”. It is written from 辶 (walk; go — the "movement" radical (chuò)) and 寸 (cun; inch), one enclosing the other, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “to pass; to cross”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
辶 + 寸
Enclosing structure
Structure from: IDS 拆分 ⿺辶寸，并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–2 为「寸」（横、竖钩、点），笔画 3–5 为「辶」（点、横折折撇、平捺）
Memory aid
The road radical 辶 sweeps underneath and carries you along; 寸 (an inch) rides on top. Inch by inch on the road — you pass by, you go through, it's over. Both parts really are in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 经过jīng guòto pass by; to go through; the course of an event过 = guòHSK 2
- 难过nán guòto feel sad; to have a hard time过 = guòHSK 3
- 掠过lüè guòto sweep past; to skim over过 = guò
- 穿过chuān guòto pass through; to go across过 = guò
- 过敏guò mǐnallergy; allergic; oversensitive过 = guò
Go deeper
All readings
to pass; to cross; to go through
to pass; to cross; to go by; to go through; to spend (time); excessively, too much
从一处到另一处；经过、通过；度过（时间）；超出限度。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 经过jīng guòto pass by; to go through; the course of an event过 = guòHSK 2
- 难过nán guòto feel sad; to have a hard time过 = guòHSK 3
- 掠过lüè guòto sweep past; to skim over过 = guò
- 穿过chuān guòto pass through; to go across过 = guò
- 过敏guò mǐnallergy; allergic; oversensitive过 = guò
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 过 mean?
过 (guò) means to pass; to cross; to go by; to go through; to spend (time); excessively, too much.
How do you pronounce 过?
It is pronounced guò.
What parts is 过 made of?
辶 (walk; go — the "movement" radical (chuò)) and 寸 (cun; inch), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: IDS 拆分 ⿺辶寸，并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–2 为「寸」（横、竖钩、点），笔画 3–5 为「辶」（点、横折折撇、平捺）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 过 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 过?
辶. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 过?
Common ones are 经过 and 难过. The reading of 过 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.