過失

かしつ · kashitsu · JLPT N2 · noun

mistake

過 (over) + 失 (lose) = a slip where you lose ground by going too far

The kanji 失 also appears in 失敗 (failure) and 失礼 (rudeness), so it signals a lapse or loss. 過 adds the sense of going beyond the proper limit.

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