Word
過ごす
Meaning in Englishspend time, pass, live through
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 過ごす mean? It means to spend or pass time, often by engaging in activities or experiences; it can also mean to live through a period or endure a situation in everyday life.
Main meanings
- to spend time on an activity or with people
- to pass time in a place or during a period
- to go through or endure a period or experience
How to use it
Used to describe how someone spends a day, holiday, season, or span of time, in casual conversation and in narrative writing. Common constructions include [time]を過ごす and [place]で過ごす; also used to describe living through a period or experience.
Variants and close terms
- 使う時間 — tsukau jikan
- 時間を費やす — jikan o tsuiyasu
- 暮らす — kurasu
Composition
- 過: to pass, exceed; 辶: movement or a path component, signaling motion through time
- す: verb ending that attaches to the kanji to form the verb 過ごす
Word class
verb (五段動詞)