过去/過去 guòqù — the past, formerly

Meanings

1. 1

   the past, formerly

   Time already gone, set against 现在 and 以后. Used at the head of a sentence it means "in the old days": 过去他不会说汉语 — he used not to speak Chinese.

   noun
2. 2

   to go over, to go past (away from the speaker)

   verb

   As a movement, 过去 goes away from where the speaker stands and 过来 comes towards it. The 去/来 pair works the same way in 出去 and 出来, 上去 and 上来.

Character breakdown

• 过/過

  guò (fourth tone, falling) guo (neutral tone)

  to cross, to pass by, to go through; to spend (time); to exceed; (unstressed guo) the experiential aspect marker

  6 strokes⿺辶寸Radical 辵

Example sentences

• 过去他不会说汉语，现在说得很好。/過去他不會說漢語，現在說得很好。Guòqù (fourth tone, falling) tā (first tone, high and level) bú (second tone, rising) huì (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) Hànyǔ, (fourth tone, falling) xiànzài (fourth tone, falling) shuō (first tone, high and level) de (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) hǎo. (third tone, dipping)···

  He used not to speak Chinese; now he speaks it well.

• 你从这儿过去，就到银行了。/你從這兒過去，就到銀行了。Nǐ (third tone, dipping) cóng (second tone, rising) zhèr (fourth tone, falling) guòqù, (fourth tone, falling) jiù (fourth tone, falling) dào (fourth tone, falling) yínháng (second tone, rising) le. (neutral tone)···

  Go across from here and you come straight to the bank.

Similar words

Words containing 过

• 过/過guò (fourth tone, falling)ever, have done before (experience particle)
• 通过/通過tōng (first tone, high and level) guò (fourth tone, falling)by means of
• 经过/經過jīngguò (first tone, high and level)to pass by, to go through (a place)
• 过来/過來guò (fourth tone, falling) lái (second tone, rising)to come over
• 不过/不過búguò (second tone, rising)but, however (a lighter contrast than 但是)
• 超过/超過chāo (first tone, high and level) guò (fourth tone, falling)to surpass
• 过程/過程guòchéng (fourth tone, falling)process, course (of an event)
• 错过/錯過cuò (fourth tone, falling) guò (fourth tone, falling)to miss (train, opportunity etc)
• 只不过/只不過zhǐ (third tone, dipping) bu (neutral tone) guò (fourth tone, falling)only
• 难过/難過nánguò (second tone, rising)sad, upset
• 度过/度過dù (fourth tone, falling) guò (fourth tone, falling)to pass
• 过分/過分guò (fourth tone, falling) fèn (fourth tone, falling)excessive
• 过度/過度guò (fourth tone, falling) dù (fourth tone, falling)excessive
• 路过/路過lù (fourth tone, falling) guò (fourth tone, falling)to pass by or through
• 过于/過於guò (fourth tone, falling) yú (second tone, rising)too much
• 穿过/穿過chuān (first tone, high and level) guò (fourth tone, falling)to pass through
• 走过/走過zǒu (third tone, dipping) guò (fourth tone, falling)to walk past