太過 (tài guò) is an adverb meaning 'excessively' or 'too much,' emphasizing that something has gone beyond a reasonable, appropriate, or acceptable limit. It combines 太 (tài), meaning 'too' or 'extremely,' and 过 (guò), meaning 'to exceed' or 'to go past.' Together, they intensify the idea of crossing a boundary — whether in degree, intensity, emotion, or behavior. Unlike the simpler 太 (tài), which often stands alone before adjectives (e.g., 太高), 太過 adds a stronger, slightly formal or literary nuance and usually precedes verbs or adjectives to highlight immoderation.

This word frequently appears in evaluations, advice, or criticism — for instance, when someone’s reaction, effort, or attitude is seen as disproportionate. It commonly occurs in written Chinese and formal speech, though it’s also used conversationally to express concern or disapproval. Note that 太過 is not used before nouns; it modifies actions or qualities, never naming things directly.