How to Say “Cross the border” in Chinese
Getting around · HSK 4
"Cross the border" in Chinese is 过境 (Guò jìng). 过境 (guò jìng) means 'transit through a border'; usually airport transit without entering the country. Don't confuse with 入境 (rù jìng, to enter the country) or 出境 (chū jìng, to exit).
Primary translation
过境
Guò jìng
Traditional: 過境
Variants by register
Formal
您是过境还是入境？
Nín shì guò jìng hái shì rù jìng?
Casual
你是过境的吗？
Nǐ shì guò jìng de ma?
When to use it
过境 (guò jìng) means 'transit through a border'; usually airport transit without entering the country. Don't confuse with 入境 (rù jìng, to enter the country) or 出境 (chū jìng, to exit). For Hong Kong/Macau/Taiwan crossings from Mainland, locals say 过关 (guò guān, 'pass the checkpoint') instead; e.g. taking the metro from Shenzhen to Hong Kong is 过关去香港. 过境 is more formal and aviation-specific.
Example sentences
我只是过境，不入境。
Wǒ zhǐ shì guò jìng, bù rù jìng.
I'm just transiting, not entering the country.
过境旅客请走这边。
Guò jìng lǚ kè qǐng zǒu zhè biān.
Transit passengers, please go this way.
从深圳过关去香港很方便。
Cóng shēn zhèn guò guān qù xiāng gǎng hěn fāng biàn.
Crossing from Shenzhen to Hong Kong is very convenient.