Word
横切る
Meaning in Englishcross, traverse
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
横切る means to cut across or cross over something, often by moving across it rather than along its edge.
Main meanings
- 1) Physical crossing: crossing a road, river, or path by moving across it, typically taking a shortcut
- 2) Crossing in front of someone or a line: moving through a queue or sequence, effectively cutting across
- 3) Figurative or descriptive usage: crossing boundaries or limits in writing or speech
How to use it
横切る is a transitive verb used to describe physically crossing an obstacle; the object is marked with を and it appears in both formal and casual contexts, including narrative, journalism, and descriptive prose.
Variants and close terms
- 横断する (おうだんする, oudansuru) – cross or traverse across something
- 通過する (つうかする, tsuuka suru) – pass through or go past a boundary
- 避ける (さける, sakeru) – avoid, a conceptual opposite
Composition
- 横: horizontal, side; across
- 切る: to cut, to sever
Etymology
Phonetic evolution: yokogiru is a native kun'yomi compound formed from よこ (yoko) and きる (kiru), with the standard verb ending る.
Origin
Origin: No single origin event; a native kanji compound formed from 横 and 切る, attested in classical Japanese and continued in modern usage.
Word class
verb (動詞), transitive (他動詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N2
思い切り
omoikiri
with all one's strength (heart), resignation, resolution
N2
思いっ切り
omoikkiri
very, much, fully
N2
切っ掛け
kikkake
chance, start, cue, excuse, motive, impetus, occassion
N2
区切る
kugiru
to punctuate, to cut off, to mark off
N2
締切
shimekiri
deadline
N2
締め切り
shimekiri
deadline, closing, cut-off, end
N2
締め切る
shimekiru
to close, cancel
N2
張り切る
harikiru
to be in high spirits, to be full of vigor
N2
踏切
fumikiri
railway crossing, level crossing, starting line, scratch, crossover
Kanji