上

上 U+4E0A, 上 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4E0A ← 三 [U+4E09] CJK Unified Ideographs 下 → [U+4E0B]

Stroke order

Stroke order

上 (Kangxi radical 1, 一+2, 3 strokes, cangjie input 卜一 (YM), four-corner 2110₀, composition ⿱⺊一)

• 仩, 圵, 䒙, 㫔, 仧, 卡, 尗, 忐, 㫖, 䶶, 㑅
• 让 (Simplified from 讓)

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 76, character 7
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 13
• Dae Jaweon: page 145, character 1
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 5, character 4
• Unihan data for U+4E0A

Ideogram (指事): a line above another (contrast 下 (xià)) — up. Originally written as 𠄞, but changed to this form to prevent confusion with 二 (èr).

simp. and trad.		上
alternative forms		丄 ancient 𠄞

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tVŋ (“top”). Cognate with Tibetan སྟེང (steng), Tibetan ཡང་རྩེ (yang rtse, “summit; pinnacle”) (Bodman, 1980), Mizo zo (“to be high”), zah (“to respect; to revere”) (STEDT).

Shijing rimes indicate occasional level tone for pronunciation 2 (Schuessler, 2007).

Pronunciation 1 is the exopassive of pronunciation 2 with suffix *-s, literally meaning "what has been raised" (Schuessler, 2007). The rising tone in Middle Chinese words with voiced stop initials regularly evolves into departing tone in Mandarin. Pronunciation 3 results from 叶韻 (xiéyùn), i.e. its pronunciation has been artificially changed to preserve rhymes in classical poetry.

上

1. upper part; high position; up

   Antonym: 下 (xià)

2. (obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) emperor

   皇上  ―  huángshàng  ―  emperor; Your/His Majesty

   聖上／圣上  ―  shèngshàng  ―  emperor; Your/His Majesty

   上諭／上谕  ―  shàngyù  ―  imperial edict

3. on; above

   樹上／树上  ―  shùshàng  ―  on the tree

   筆在桌上。／笔在桌上。  ―  Bǐ zài zhuōshàng.  ―  The pen is on the desk.

4. superior; senior; top
5. preceding; previous; last; former

   上一年  ―  shàng yī nián  ―  last year

   上集  ―  shàng jí  ―  last episode

   上世紀／上世纪  ―  shàng shìjì  ―  last century

6. first of several (usually two or three) partitions

   Antonyms: 中, 下 (xià)

   西遊記上／西游记上  ―  Xīyóujì shàng  ―  Journey to the West I

   上古漢語和中古漢語 [MSC, trad.]
   上古汉语和中古汉语 [MSC, simp.]

   shànggǔ hànyǔ hé zhōnggǔ hànyǔ [Pinyin]

   Old Chinese and Middle Chinese

7. within; in; from the standpoint of; according to

   在理論上／在理论上  ―  zài lǐlùn shàng  ―  according to theory

   在這個世界上／在这个世界上  ―  zài zhège shìjiè shàng  ―  in this world

   在英文上沒有相似的說法。 [MSC, trad.]
   在英文上没有相似的说法。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zài Yīngwén shàng méiyǒu xiàngsì de shuōfǎ. [Pinyin]

   There is no similar way of wording in English.

   • 人人生而自由，在尊嚴和權利上一律平等。 [MSC, trad.]
     人人生而自由，在尊严和权利上一律平等。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”

     Rénrén shēng ér zìyóu, zài zūnyán hé quánlì shàng yīlǜ píngděng. [Pinyin]

     All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.

8. (Hokkien, Teochew) most; extremely

   Alternative form: 尚

   • 2014, “上水的花 [The Most Beautiful Flower]”, in 姚若龍 [Daryl Yao] (lyrics), 蕭煌奇 [Ricky Hsiao] (music), 上水的花 [The Most Beautiful Flower], performed by 蕭煌奇 [Ricky Hsiao]:

     上水的花　若是刺著心嘛會流血 [Taiwanese Hokkien, trad.]
     上水的花　若是刺着心嘛会流血 [Taiwanese Hokkien, simp.]

     siōng súi ê hoe, nā-sī chha̍k-tio̍h sim mā ē lâu-hoeh [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]

     The most beautiful flower, if it pierced the heart, it would still bleed

上

1. to go up; to ascend
2. to charge; to advance

   上啊！  ―  Shàng a!  ―  Charge!

3. to go to; to leave for (a place) (usually to a more developed place)

   上省城  ―  shàng shěngchéng  ―  to go to the province capital

4. to board; to get on

   請上車。／请上车。  ―  Qǐng shàng chē.  ―  Please get into the car.

5. to serve; to present; to offer

   還有兩個菜沒上。 [MSC, trad.]
   还有两个菜没上。 [MSC, simp.]

   Háiyǒu liǎng ge cài méi shàng. [Pinyin]

   There're two dishes that haven't been served.

   上筆和紙來。／上笔和纸来。  ―  Shàng bǐ hé zhǐ lái.  ―  Give me the pen and the paper.

6. to attend (class, work)

   上班  ―  shàngbān  ―  to go to work

   她上夜校。  ―  Tā shàng yèxiào.  ―  She goes to night school.

7. to enter (a field); to appear (on stage, TV)
8. to fit; to install; to apply

   上油漆  ―  shàng yóuqī  ―  to apply paint

9. to screw; to tighten, to twist
10. (colloquial) short for 上線 (“to go online”)
11. to connect to; browse (a website)

    上谷歌  ―  shàng Gǔgē  ―  to go on Google; to google

12. (Cantonese) to go north
    • 2010, “小明上廣州”, performed by 李家仁:

      小明上廣州，探親友樂同遊 [Cantonese, trad.]
      小明上广州，探亲友乐同游 [Cantonese, simp.]

      siu² ming⁴ soeng⁵ gwong² zau¹, taam¹ can¹ jau⁵ lok⁶ tung⁴ jau⁴ [Jyutping]

      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

13. (Min) to pull upwards or hang with a rope

    上水 [Hokkien]  ―  chhiūⁿ-chúi [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  to draw water from a well

14. (Southern Min) to grow and attach

    上青苔 [Hokkien]  ―  chhiūⁿ chheⁿ-thî [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  to grow moss

15. (Xiamen Hokkien) to pile up

    上貨／上货 [Hokkien]  ―  chhiūⁿ-hòe [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  to pile up goods

16. (vulgar, usually of a male) to fuck; to have intercourse (usually with a female)
17. Particle following verbs, indicating direction or achievement.

    安排上了。  ―  Ānpái shàng le.  ―  It has been arranged.

18. 7th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "ascension" (𝌌)
19. (mahjong, Cantonese) chow; to call a discarded tile to produce a chow

• When playing mahjong in Cantonese, a player may say this word as a call when forming a chowing another player's discard

上

1. (～聲) (Chinese phonetics) rising tone in Chinese phonetics

Due to phonological changes over history, most of the characters historically with rising tone and voiced initials (陽上 / 阳上 (yángshǎng)) are now pronounced with departing tone in most of the dialects, e.g. Mandarin (see 濁上變去 / 浊上变去 on the Chinese Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^zh), including the character 上 (MC dzyangX|dzyangH) itself. This pronunciation was created so as to better reflect the nature of the tone.

The tone 陽上 / 阳上 (yángshǎng) is still conserved in some dialects, including Cantonese, Quanzhou Hokkien and Teochew.

The tones (of Chinese) in Mandarin · 聲調 / 声调 (shēngdiào) (layout · text)
	平仄 (píngzè)		平 (píng) 平聲 / 平声 (píngshēng)		仄 (zè) 仄聲 / 仄声 (zèshēng)
	平上去入 (píngshǎngqùrù) 四聲 / 四声 (sìshēng)		平 (píng) 平聲 / 平声 (píngshēng)		上 (shǎng) 上聲 / 上声 (shǎngshēng)		去 (qù) 去聲 / 去声 (qùshēng)		入 (rù) 入聲 / 入声 (rùshēng)
標調方法 / 标调方法 (biāodiào fāngfǎ) 標調法 / 标调法	四角標調法 / 四角标调法		꜀◌		꜂◌		◌꜄		◌꜆
	[Term?]		◌〪		◌〫		◌〬		◌〭
	傍點 / 傍点		∅		◌〮		◌〯		∅
	四聲八調 / 四声八调		陰平 / 阴平 (yīnpíng)	陽平 / 阳平 (yángpíng)	陰上 / 阴上 (yīnshǎng)	陽上 / 阳上 (yángshǎng)	陰去 / 阴去 (yīnqù)	陽去 / 阳去 (yángqù)	陰入 / 阴入 (yīnrù)	陽入 / 阳入 (yángrù)
	陰 / 阴 (yīn)	陽 / 阳 (yáng)
標調方法 / 标调方法 (biāodiào fāngfǎ) 標調法 / 标调法	四角標調法 / 四角标调法		꜀◌	꜁◌	꜂◌	꜃◌	◌꜄	◌꜅	◌꜆	◌꜇

The tones (of Standard Mandarin) in Mandarin · 聲調 / 声调 (shēngdiào) (layout · text)
四聲 / 四声 (sìshēng)	陰平 / 阴平 (yīnpíng) 一聲 / 一声		陽平 / 阳平 (yángpíng) 二聲 / 二声 (èrshēng)		上聲 / 上声 (shǎngshēng) 三聲 / 三声 (sānshēng)		去聲 / 去声 (qùshēng) 四聲 / 四声 (sìshēng)		輕聲 / 轻声 (qīngshēng)

simp. and trad.		上

上

1. (music) Kunqu gongche notation for the note do (1).
2. (music) Cantonese opera gongche notation for the note do (1).

For pronunciation and definitions of 上 – see 緔 (“to sole a shoe”). (This character is the second-round simplified form of 緔).

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

For pronunciation and definitions of 上 – see 鞝. (This character is the second-round simplified form of 鞝).

Notes: Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore. Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

• “上”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.
• 莆田市政协文化文史和学习委员会 [Culture, History and Learning Committee of Putian CPPCC], editor (2021), “上”, in 莆仙方言大词典 [Comprehensive Dictionary of Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), Xiamen University Press, →ISBN, pages 91, 488.
• 周存 [Zhōu, Cún], editor (2023), “上”, in 长汀话词典 CHANGTINGHUA CIDIAN [Dictionary of Changting Dialect] (overall work in Hakka and Mandarin), Guangzhou: 世界图书出版有限公司 [World Book Publishing Co., Ltd.], →ISBN, pages 293, 591.

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

1. above, high, up
2. earlier
3. excellent, top
4. certain time or place in the past
5. limit
6. climb, rise
7. offer
8. go to the center
9. raise, bring up
10. one of the four tones of Middle Chinese
11. short for 上野国 (Kōzuke no kuni): Kōzuke Province

• Go-on: じょう (jō, Jōyō)^{←じやう (zyau, historical)}
• Kan-on: しょう (shō, Jōyō ^†)^{←しやう (syau, historical)}
• Sō-on: しゃん (shan)^{←しやん (syan, historical)}
• Kun: うえ (ue, 上, Jōyō)^{←うへ (ufe, 上, historical)}、うわ (uwa, 上, Jōyō ^†)^{←うは (ufa, 上, historical)}、かみ (kami, 上, Jōyō)、あげる (ageru, 上げる, Jōyō)、あがる (agaru, 上がる, Jōyō)、あがり (agari, 上がり)、のぼる (noboru, 上る, Jōyō)、のぼり (nobori, 上り)、のぼせる (noboseru, 上せる, Jōyō)、のぼす (nobosu, 上す, Jōyō)、たてまつる (tatematsuru, 上る)、ほとり (hotori, 上)
• Nanori: あおい (aoi)、あげ (age)、い (i)、か (ka)、かき (kaki)、かず (kazu)、かん (kan)、こう (kō)、のぼり (nobori)、ほつ (hotsu)

Kanji in this term
上
うえ Grade: 1
kun'yomi

⟨upe₂⟩ → /*upai̯/ → /upe/ → /ufe/ → /uwe/ → /ue/

From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *upay.

Unbound apophonic form of uwa, ancient upa (see below).

• (Tokyo) うえ [ùé] (Heiban – [0])^[1][2][3]
• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟e̞]

• Audio:

  (file)

上(うえ) • (ue) ^{←うへ (ufe)?}

1. the above

   『上(うえ)を向(む)いて歩(ある)こう』

   “Ue o Muite Arukō”

   Walk Looking Up

2. the top (position or direction)

   箱(はこ)の上(うえ)

   hako no ue

   top of the box

3. the surface

   水(みず)の上(うえ)に浮(う)かぶ

   mizu no ue ni ukabu

   to float upon the water

4. superiority (in skill, age, level, etc.)

   一(ひと)つ上(うえ)の先輩(せんぱい)

   hitotsu ue no senpai

   senior who is one year older

   二(ふた)回(まわ)り上(うえ)の上司(じょうし)

   futamawari-ue no jōshi

   boss who is twenty-four years older (than someone else)

• 下(した) (shita)

上(うえ) • (-ue) ^{←うへ (-ufe)?}

1. suffix addressing to a superior

上(うえ) • (Ue) ^{←うへ (Ufe)?}

1. a surname

Kanji in this term
上
うわ Grade: 1
kun'yomi

/upa/ → /ufa/ → /uwa/

From Old Japanese. The combining form of ue, ancient upe (see above).^[1]

• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟β̞a̠]

上(うわ) • (uwa-) ^{←うは (ufa-)?}

1. upper, over

上(うわ) • (Uwa) ^{←うは (Ufa)?}

1. a place name

Kanji in this term
上
へ Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Kanji in this term
上
え Grade: 1
kun'yomi

⟨upe₂⟩ → ⟨pe₂⟩ → */pe/ → /fe/ → /he/

Short-form of or shift from ue, ancient upe (see above). Realized as -e in some compounds.

• IPA^(key): [he̞]

• IPA^(key): [e̞]

The senses are the same with ue.

• 尾上(おのえ) (onoe)

Kanji in this term
上
かみ Grade: 1
kun'yomi

⟨kami₁⟩ → */kamʲi/ → /kami/

From Old Japanese. Already apparent in ancient texts such as the Kojiki (c. 712 CE) and the Man'yōshū (c. 759 CE).^[1][4]

Distinct from 神 (⟨kami₂⟩ → kami, “Shinto deity”).

• (Tokyo) かみ [káꜜmì] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2][3]
• IPA^(key): [ka̠mʲi]

上(かみ) • (kami) 

1. the start
2. a high place; the top
3. one with higher rank

• 下(しも) (shimo)

上(かみ) • (Kami) 

1. a place name
2. a surname

Kanji in this term
上
かん Grade: 1
kun'yomi

/kami/ → /kamʉ/ → /kaɴ/

Contraction of Old Japanese ⟨kami₁⟩. Spelled in ancient works as かむ (kamu) prior to the development of the ん (n) kana.^[1][4][5]

• IPA^(key): [kã̠ɴ]

上(かん) • (kan) 

1. (obsolete) Same as かみ (kami) above

Generally only found when followed by the genitive / possessive particles の (no) or つ (tsu).

上(かん) • (Kan) 

1. a place name

Kanji in this term
上
じょう Grade: 1
goon

/d͡ʑɨau/ → /d͡ʑɔː/ → /d͡ʑoː/

From Middle Chinese 上 (MC dzyangX|dzyangH).

• (Tokyo) じょー [jóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[1]
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑo̞ː]

• Pitch accent for suffix unknown.

上(じょう) • (jō) ^{←じやう (zyau)?}

1. the first volume in a two- or three-volume set

   Antonym: 下 (ge)

上(じょう) • (-jō) ^{←じやう (-zyau)?}

1. from the standpoint of...

   理(り)論(ろん)上(じょう)はありえないこと

   riron-jō wa arienai koto

   something that is impossible according to theory

   法(ほう)律(りつ)上(じょう)の争(そう)訟(しょう)

   hōritsu-jō no sōshō

   legal dispute

2. aboard (a plane, ship, etc.)
3. above, in, on

上(じょう) • (Jō) ^{←じやう (Zyau)?}

1. a surname

上 (eumhun 윗 상 (wit sang))

1. hanja form^? of 상 (“up; top; first; best”)

上: Hán Việt readings: thượng (時(thì)亮(lượng)切(thiết))^[1][2][3][4]
上: Nôm readings: thượng^[1][3][4][5]

1. chữ Hán form of thượng (“upper; higher; top”)