跨

• Physical action of straddling or bestriding, such as mounting an animal or stepping over an object or boundary.
• Stepping across or spanning a physical gap.
• Spatial or temporal extension: to span great distances, multiple territories, or different time periods.
• Carrying an object on the side, hip, or under the arm.

• Contrast with 越: While both can involve "crossing," 跨 emphasizes the physical act of traversal (the step), whereas 越 often implies surpassing a limit, overcoming an obstacle, or going beyond a boundary.
• Overlap with 挎: In many ancient contexts, these are functionally interchangeable when describing carrying an object laterally rather than in the arms.

When choosing a translation, prioritize terms that evoke the lateral extension of the body or the physical span of the legs.