Meaning and Usage
The verb '지나다' primarily means 'to pass by' or 'to go past' in both physical and abstract senses. It can describe time passing, objects or people moving past a location, or quantities exceeding a certain limit.
Common Contexts
- Time passing: "시간이 지나가다" is a very common phrase to express that time has elapsed.
- Physical passing: Used when something moves past a place, e.g., a bus or a person.
- Exceeding a limit: Often used with numbers or measurements, such as temperature or age.
Collocations and Patterns
- 지나가다 (to pass by physically or time passing)
- ~을/를 지나서 (after passing something)
- ~을/를 지나면 (if/when exceeding a certain point or limit)
Register and Politeness
'지나다' is a standard verb used in everyday conversation and writing. It is neutral in politeness and can be combined with polite endings like '-요' or formal endings.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse '지나다' with '넘다' when talking about exceeding numbers. While both can mean 'to exceed,' '지나다' often implies passing a point or limit in a more general sense, including time and physical passing, whereas '넘다' is more strictly about surpassing a quantity.