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过去

guò qu
HSK 2.0 Level 3 Very common

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This word has multiple dictionary entries. Choose the reading or usage you want to review.

过去
guò qù Verb (in the) past; former
过去
guò qu (in the) past; former

Definitions

  1. 1. (in the) past
  2. 2. former
  3. 3. previous
  4. 4. to go over
  5. 5. to pass by

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Word relationships

Antonyms

1 item
将来
jiāng lái

in the future

the future, opposite of the past, e.g., 将来我打算去中国 ('I plan to go to China in the future')

Related words

1 item
刚才
gāng cái

just now

just now, a recent past time, e.g., 我刚才看到他了 ('I just saw him a moment ago')

Synonyms

2 items
以前
yǐ qián

before

referring to a time before now, e.g., 我以前住在这里 ('I lived here before')
经过
jīng guò

to pass

to pass by or go through, for physical movement, e.g., 我经过那家商店 ('I passed by that store')

Usage notes

Common mistakes

Do not confuse 过去 (guòqu) 'in the past' with 过去 (guò//qù) 'to go over'. The former is a time word, the latter is a verb-complement phrase that can be split, e.g., 我过不去 (I can't get across).

Formality

In formal writing, 过去 as 'the past' is often paired with 与 (yǔ) instead of 和 (hé) in phrases like 与过去相比 (compared to the past).

Example Sentences

1 shown
过去 ，我常常去公园。
In the past, I often went to the park.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 过去

昏过去
hūn guo qu

to faint

看不过去
kàn bu guò qu

cannot stand by idly and watch

说不过去
shuō bu guò qù

cannot be justified

说得过去
shuō de guò qù

acceptable

过去分词
guò qu fēn cí

past participle (in European grammar)

过去式
guò qu shì

past tense

过去时
guò qù shí

past tense (grammar)

过去经验
guò qu jīng yàn

past experience

Child Words of 过去

去
qù

to go

过
guò

to cross

过
guo

(experienced action marker)