超过
to exceed; to surpass
chāoguò
What does 超过 mean?
超过 (chāoguò) is a verb meaning 'to exceed,' 'to surpass,' or 'to go beyond' a limit, quantity, or another person. It is neutral in register and appears constantly in everyday, business, and written contexts — describing numbers ('exceed 100 people'), time ('over an hour'), speed limits, budgets, or one person overtaking another in a ranking or race. The character 超 already means 'to overtake / super,' and 过 adds the sense of passing beyond.
Two things differ from English: 超过 is a single verb, so you say 超过一百 ('exceed one hundred') without a preposition like 'over,' and it takes a direct object rather than needing 'than.' When comparing people, 超过 means to outdo or overtake them, close to English 'surpass,' but it can also literally mean physically passing a car on the road.
Character breakdown
to exceed; super; ultra
to pass; to cross; to go beyond
Memory hook: 超 (super) + 过 (pass) — to 'super-pass' a limit, i.e. go beyond it.
Example sentences
这个班超过三十个学生。
Zhège bān chāoguò sānshí ge xuésheng.
This class has more than thirty students.
neutral
别开太快，不要超过速度限制。
Bié kāi tài kuài, búyào chāoguò sùdù xiànzhì.
Don't drive too fast, don't go over the speed limit.
spoken
今年的销售额超过了去年。
Jīnnián de xiāoshòu'é chāoguò le qùnián.
This year's sales exceeded last year's.
written
他跑得很快，一下子就超过了我。
Tā pǎo de hěn kuài, yíxiàzi jiù chāoguò le wǒ.
He runs fast and overtook me in an instant.
spoken
Common phrases with 超过
Synonyms
超越 is more abstract and formal — surpassing limits, transcending boundaries, or bettering a rival in an elevated sense. 超过 is the plain, everyday choice for exceeding a number or overtaking someone.
胜过 means 'to be better than / to win over' and stresses superiority in quality. 超过 stresses going past a quantity or position, not necessarily being better.
Don't confuse 超过 with
FAQ
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