Going all the way across a continent, from one side to the other. It is used most often about big things that cross land: a transcontinental railroad, a transcontinental highway, a transcontinental flight. The picture is of a line drawn right across a huge piece of land.

Going all the way across a continent橫越整個大陸, from one side to the other從一邊到另一邊. It is used most often最常用 about big things that cross land來形容橫越陸地的大型事物: a transcontinental railroad, a transcontinental highway, a transcontinental flight橫貫大陸鐵路、橫貫大陸公路、橫貫大陸航班. The picture is畫面就是 of a line drawn right across a huge piece of land一條線直直畫過一大片土地.

In the United States it has a special weight, because 'the transcontinental railroad' usually means the famous one finished in 1869 that joined the east coast to the west — so for many American speakers the word brings that history with it.

In the United States在美國 it has a special weight這個詞份量特別重, because因為 'the transcontinental railroad' usually means「the transcontinental railroad」通常指的是 the famous one finished in 1869 that joined the east coast to the west1869年完工、連接東岸和西岸的那條有名鐵路 — so所以 for many American speakers對很多美國人來說 the word brings that history with it這個詞會帶出那段歷史.

It can also describe a company or a journey that stretches across a continent, and sometimes a country that sits in two continents at once (Turkey and Russia are called transcontinental countries, because part of each is in Europe and part in Asia). People sometimes stretch it loosely to mean any very long trip, even one that crosses an ocean, but that use is not careful — for crossing an ocean the right words are 'transatlantic' or 'transpacific'.

It can also describe它也可以用來形容 a company or a journey that stretches across a continent橫跨一整個大陸的公司或旅程, and sometimes有時候也用來指 a country that sits in two continents at once同時橫跨兩個大陸的國家 (Turkey and Russia are called transcontinental countries土耳其和俄羅斯就被稱為橫跨兩洲的國家, because因為 part of each is in Europe and part in Asia兩國都有一部分在歐洲、一部分在亞洲). People sometimes stretch it loosely有些人會把它用得比較鬆散 to mean any very long trip拿來指任何很長的旅程, even one that crosses an ocean甚至是橫越海洋的旅程, but that use is not careful但這種用法不夠精確 — for crossing an ocean橫越海洋 the right words are 'transatlantic' or 'transpacific'應該用「transatlantic」或「transpacific」才對.

It is mostly an adjective, but Americans occasionally use it as a noun for a train or flight that makes the crossing.

It is mostly an adjective它主要是形容詞, but Americans occasionally use it as a noun但美國人偶爾也會當名詞用 for a train or flight that makes the crossing指完成橫越的火車或班機.