The Meaning of yokogiru [横切る] In Japanese
横切る
よこぎる
Romaji: yokogiru
N4
What does 横切る mean?
Translation and Meaning
to cut across, to cross over (a road, path, etc.)
Definition
横切る means to cut across or cross over something, often by moving across it rather than along its edge.
Type
verb (動詞), transitive (他動詞)
Stroke Order
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
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.
Composition
- 横: horizontal, side; across
- 切る: to cut, to sever
Usage
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.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine 横 as a horizontal line and 切る as a cut; visualize slicing across the line to cross it, which reinforces yokogiru.
Variations
- 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
Words with the same Kanji
Example Phrases
-
道を 横切る 猫を 見て 私は 笑った。Michi o yokogiru neko o mite watashi wa waratta.I laughed after seeing a cat cross the road.Lista:
- 道を (michi o) – the road
- 横切る (yokogiru) – to cross
- 猫を (neko o) – the cat
- 見て (mite) – seeing
- 私は (watashi wa) – I
- 笑った (waratta) – laughed
Core grammar: 横切る é verbo que significa ‘cruzar’; aqui ele forma uma oração relativa antes de 猫, como 「道を横切る猫」, isto é, ‘o gato que atravessa a rua’.
