超标
chāo biāo · HSK 7
to cross the limit
🚨📏 chāo = exceed + biāo = standard — literally overshoot the benchmark
超 means to surpass or go beyond, 标 means standard or mark. Together they describe something that has crossed the acceptable threshold — like pollution levels exceeding safety limits or spending blowing past a budget.
超 — 走 (run) + 召 (summon, phonetic)
A semantic-phonetic compound: 走 'run' gives the meaning of moving past or going beyond, while 召 'summon' supplies the sound. The original sense was to leap or stride over something, which extended to 'surpass' and 'exceed'.
标 — tree 木 + 票 (ticket/phonetic)
Originally written 標, this is a semantic-phonetic compound: 木 (tree) gives the meaning and 票 supplies the sound. It first referred to the tip or top of a tree, then extended to any marker, sign, or label placed at a prominent point. The simplified form 标 keeps the same structure with a reduced phonetic.