过分
guòfèn · HSK 4
excessively
⚖️ 过 = cross/exceed + 分 = portion; 'crossing the portion' = excessive
过 means to cross over or exceed, and 分 means a portion or share. Together 过分 literally reads as exceeding one's share — going past the reasonable amount, hence 'excessively' or 'over-the-top'.
过 — 辶 walk radical + 呙 (phonetic)
过 combines the walking radical 辶, suggesting motion or passage, with 呙 serving as the phonetic component. Originally it depicted crossing or passing by on foot, which extended to meanings like 'to pass,' 'to cross over,' and later 'past' or 'excessive.' The simplified form replaces the traditional 過.
分 — knife 刀 + eight 八 (split apart)
分 originally depicted a knife (刀) cutting something into two parts, shown by 八 above (which itself meant 'divide'). The core sense is 'to divide' or 'split', from which extended meanings like 'portion', 'minute', and 'part' developed. Pronounced fèn, it carries the sense of an allotted share.