Meaning and Usage
"克服" means to overcome or conquer difficulties, obstacles, or hardships. It is often used in contexts where someone successfully deals with challenges, whether internal like fear or external like language barriers.
Common Collocations
- 克服困难 (overcome difficulties): used to describe overcoming various challenges.
- 克服恐惧 (overcome fear): often used in emotional or psychological contexts.
- 克服障碍 (overcome obstacles/barriers): can refer to physical, social, or communication barriers.
Usage Notes
"克服" is a formal verb and commonly appears in written and spoken Chinese when discussing achievements or efforts to surpass problems. It implies a process of struggle and eventual success. Unlike similar verbs like "战胜" (to defeat), "克服" emphasizes overcoming internal or external difficulties rather than defeating an opponent.
Common Confusion
Do not confuse "克服" with "服从" (to obey) or "服用" (to take medicine). Although "服" relates to clothes or submission in other contexts, in "克服" it combines with "克" to mean overcoming.