Word
横切る
Meaning in Englishcross, traverse
Animated kanji stroke order
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)
Related words by kanji and components
N1
切開
sekkai
opening up, cutting through
N1
切実
setsujitsu
compelling, serious, severe, acute
N1
切ない
setsunai
painful, trying, sad
N1
痛切
tsuusetsu
keen, deep
N1
持ち切り
mochikiri
hot topic, talk of the town
N1
横綱
yokozuna
sumo grand champion
N2
～切れ
～kire
out of ~
N2
売り切れ
urikire
sold-out
N2
売り切れる
urikireru
to be sold out