This is the 5965th most frequent Japanese word.
わたる
"わたる" means "to cross" or "to go across."
In this sentence, "わたる" means "to cross over," referring to physically traversing from one side of the bridge to the other.
橋を渡る。
Cross the bridge.
Here, "わたる" conveys the passage of time, illustrating how events unfold over a duration of days.
日が渡るにつれて、木が紅葉してきた。
As the days passed, the trees turned red.
In this usage, "わたる" means "to spread or cover," indicating the dissemination of information across the country.