Translation guide
How to express 'cross over' in Japanese, covering physical crossing, transitioning, and figurative uses.
Moving from one side to the other, such as a street, bridge, or boundary.
General verb for crossing over something like a road, bridge, or river.
橋を渡る。
Cross over the bridge.
道路を渡るときは気をつけて。
Be careful when crossing the road.
Cross over a physical barrier like a mountain, fence, or border, emphasizing going beyond.
Formal or technical term for crossing, often used for streets, continents, or in official contexts.
横断歩道を横断する。
Cross at the crosswalk.
Moving from one group, field, or state to another, such as changing teams or genres.
To move or shift to another side, group, or category.
彼は政治の世界からビジネスに移った。
He crossed over from politics to business.
To convert or switch allegiance, often used for ideological or religious changes.
彼はキリスト教に転向した。
He crossed over to Christianity.
Literally 'transfer', used metaphorically for switching sides or brands.
Euphemistic or poetic crossing into another realm, such as death or a new phase.
To depart on a journey, often used euphemistically for passing away.
彼は安らかに旅立った。
He peacefully crossed over.
Buddhist expression for crossing to the other shore, i.e., attaining enlightenment or dying.
祖母が彼岸に渡った。
My grandmother crossed over to the other side.
In everyday speech, 'cross over' for death is usually expressed as 亡くなる (to pass away).
彼は昨年亡くなりました。
He crossed over last year.
渡る is for crossing flat surfaces or linear obstacles (roads, bridges, rivers). 越える is for crossing over vertical or three-dimensional barriers (mountains, fences, borders).
Avoid directly translating 'cross over' as クロスオーバー, which is a loanword used mainly for crossover vehicles, music genres, or fiction crossovers, not for physical crossing.
iPhoneからAndroidに乗り換えた。
I crossed over from iPhone to Android.