渡 (dù) - To cross over & to ferry across

渡Tone 4

dù ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

丁恩

渡 · dù

To cross over;

to ferry across;

to pass through;

a ferry crossing;

ford.

To cross overto ferry acrossto pass through

Usage highlights

Cross a riverFerry crossingFerry boatCross the seaHelp someone acrossTransition period

Synonyms

  • 过— to cross, to pass
  • 越— to cross over, to exceed
  • 涉— to wade across, to go through

Antonyms

  • 阻— to block, to hinder
  • 滞— to stagnate, to be stuck

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We need to cross the river (渡河).
  • The ferry transports people across (摆渡).
  • They successfully overcame the difficulty (渡过难关).
  • This marks a transition to a new stage (过渡阶段).

Collocations

  • Cross a river(渡河)
  • Ferry crossing(渡口)
  • Ferry boat(渡船)
  • Cross the sea(渡海)
  • Help someone across(引渡)
  • Transition period(过渡期)

Idioms

  • The legendary monkey crossing mountains and fording streams(跋山涉水)
  • Ferrying all living beings to salvation(普渡众生)
  • Crossing the river by feeling the stones(摸着石头过河)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Buddhism, '渡' carries the meaning of helping beings cross from the shore of suffering to the shore of enlightenment.
  • Historically important for transportation, with many place names containing '渡' indicating former ferry crossings.
  • Metaphorically used for overcoming difficulties and transitioning between life stages.

FAQ