過ぎる

Japanese

Etymology

From Old Japanese 過ぐ (sugu). First attested in the Kojiki of 712.

Likely cognate with 挿げる (sugeru, “to pass a hole through something”), 直ぐ (sugu, “straight through”, adverb).

Reconstructed as deriving from Proto-Japonic *sunku.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) すぎ​る (Nakadaka – )
• IPA^(key):

Verb

過(す)ぎる • (sugiru) intransitive ichidan (stem 過(す)ぎ (sugi), past 過(す)ぎた (sugita))

1. to pass by, to pass through; to go beyond

   あの子(こ)もおもちゃで遊(あそ)ぶ年(とし)は過(す)ぎるころだ。

   Ano ko mo omocha de asobu toshi wa sugiru koro da.

   He will soon be past playing with toys.

2. to elapse; to exceed

   あれから半年(はんとし)が過(す)ぎた。

   Are kara hantoshi ga sugita.

   Half a year had passed since it had happened.

3. to be excessive

   解釈違(かいしゃくちが)いが過(す)ぎる

   kaishaku chigai ga sugiru

   the difference in interpretation is too much

4. (auxiliary, used with verbs and adjectives) too, too much

   その靴(くつ)は高(たか)すぎる。

   Sono kutsu wa takasugiru.

   These shoes are too expensive.

   大(おお)きすぎるからトランクに入(はい)らないぞ。

   Ōkisugiru kara toranku ni hairanai zo.

   Dude, it isn't going to fit into the trunk because it's too big.

   あまり酒(さけ)を飲(の)み過(す)ぎるのは、危険(きけん)だ。

   Amari sake o nomisugiru no wa, kiken da.

   It is dangerous to drink too much.

5. (informal, used with nouns) Used for emphasis.

   誰(だれ)すぎる

   dare-sugiru

   literally who

Usage notes

• When used as an auxiliary, it is usually written in kana: すぎる (sugiru).
• Can also be attached to adjectives in some situations

• 遠(とお)すぎる (tōsugiru): to be too far away; to be beyond reach

• When すぎる (sugiru) is attached to the end of other verbs and adjectives, it denotes the meaning of "too much".
• (verbs) The verb is directly attached to the stem or the continuative form (連用形(れんようけい) (ren'yōkei)) of the verb:

  飲(の)みすぎる (nomisugiru); to drink too much

  食(た)べすぎる (tabesugiru); to eat too much

  寝(ね)すぎる (nesugiru); to sleep too much

• (na-adjectives) The verb is simply attached to the adjectives:

  静(しず)かすぎる (shizukasugiru); too quiet

• (i-adjectives) The last い (i) is removed before attaching the verb:

  大(おお)きすぎる (ōkisugiru); too big

  高(たか)すぎる (takasugiru); too expensive

Conjugation

Related terms

• すぐ (sugu, “soon”)
• 真(ま)っ直(す)ぐ (massugu, “straight, directly”)

References