Übergang

Übergang is a German noun meaning transition or crossing. Etymology: from über ("over") and Gang ("go," "passage"). It denotes the act or result of moving from one state, condition, or place to another and can refer to physical movement, temporal change, or conceptual shift.

The term is used across many domains. In everyday language, it can denote a crossing, for example Fußgängerübergang (pedestrian crossing) or Straßenübergang. In a figurative sense it describes a change of state, such as the transition from childhood to adulthood or a transition period in work or education (Übergangsphase).

In social and political contexts, transitional arrangements are described with words like Übergangsregierung (transitional government) or Übergangszeit; such terms emphasize the period between established orders or regimes.

In the natural sciences, Übergang commonly refers to a change of state or phase. Examples include der Übergangszustand (transition state) in chemistry or der Phasenübergang (phase transition) in physics and materials science.

In culture and technology, Übergang can denote the connecting segment between sections of a work, such as a musical transition, or a user-interface animation, where a CSS transition describes the change from one visual state to another.

Overall, Übergang captures both literal crossings and more abstract processes of change that bridge one state to another.