上

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

Translingual

Stroke order
3 strokes
Stroke order

Han character

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

Derived characters

References

  • 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

Chinese

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 上
Shang Western Zhou Spring and Autumn Warring States Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming) Libian (compiled in Qing) Kangxi Dictionary (compiled in Qing)
Oracle bone script Bronze inscriptions Bronze inscriptions Bronze inscriptions Chu slip and silk script Qin slip script Ancient script Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts Clerical script Ming typeface





References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

  • Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
  • Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
  • Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
  • Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).

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).

Etymology 1

simp. and trad.
上
alternative forms 丄 ancient
𠄞
尚 Min Nan “most”

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-tjaŋ (“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), which artificially preserves classical poetry rhyming words' pronunciations.

Pronunciation 1


Note:
  • Xiamen siāng - only used for “most”;
  • thōng - only used for “most”.
      • (Teochew)
        • Peng'im: zion7 / ziên7 / siang6
        • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsiōⁿ / tsiēⁿ / siăng
        • Sinological IPA (key): /t͡sĩõ¹¹/, /t͡sĩẽ¹¹/, /siaŋ³⁵/
    Note:
    • zion7/ziên7 - vernacular (“upper part; up; on; above; in”);
    • siang6 - literary (“superior; most”).
      • Wu
        • (Shanghai):
          • Wugniu: 6zaon
          • MiniDict: zaon去
          • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): 3zaan
          • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zɑ̃²³/
      • Xiang
        • (Changsha)
          • Wiktionary: shan5 / shan4
          • Sinological IPA (key) (old-style): /ʂan²¹/, /ʂan⁴⁵/
          • Sinological IPA (key) (new-style): /san²¹/, /san⁴⁵/
      Note:
      • shan5 - vernacular;
      • shan4 - literary.

    Rime
    Character 上
    Reading # 2/2
    Initial (聲) 常 (25)
    Final (韻) 陽 (105)
    Tone (調) Departing (H)
    Openness (開合) Open
    Division (等) III
    Fanqie 時亮切
    Baxter dzyangH
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang
    /d͡ʑɨɐŋH/
    Pan
    Wuyun
    /d͡ʑiɐŋH/
    Shao
    Rongfen
    /d͡ʑiɑŋH/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank
    /d͡ʑɨaŋH/
    Li
    Rong
    /ʑiaŋH/
    Wang
    Li
    /ʑĭaŋH/
    Bernard
    Karlgren
    /ʑi̯aŋH/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex
    shàng
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex
    soeng6
    Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 上
    Reading # 3/3
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)
    shàng
    Middle
    Chinese
    ‹ dzyangH ›
    Old
    Chinese
    /*daŋʔ-s/
    English top, above (n.)

    Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

    * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
    * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
    * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
    * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

    * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
    Zhengzhang system (2003)
    Character 上
    Reading # 2/2
    No. 11103
    Phonetic
    component
    上
    Rime
    group
    陽
    Rime
    subdivision
    0
    Corresponding
    MC rime
    尚
    Old
    Chinese
    /*djaŋs/
    Definitions

    上

    1. upper part; high position; up
      Antonym: 下 (xià)
    2. † emperor
    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.
    8. (Southern Min) most; extremely
    Synonyms

    Pronunciation 2


    Note:
    • sông / song1 - “to go up; to go; to attend” (major reading);
    • sóng / song3 - “to fit; to install; to apply”.

    Rime
    Character 上
    Reading # 1/2
    Initial (聲) 常 (25)
    Final (韻) 陽 (105)
    Tone (調) Rising (X)
    Openness (開合) Open
    Division (等) III
    Fanqie 時掌切
    Baxter dzyangX
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang
    /d͡ʑɨɐŋX/
    Pan
    Wuyun
    /d͡ʑiɐŋX/
    Shao
    Rongfen
    /d͡ʑiɑŋX/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank
    /d͡ʑɨaŋX/
    Li
    Rong
    /ʑiaŋX/
    Wang
    Li
    /ʑĭaŋX/
    Bernard
    Karlgren
    /ʑi̯aŋX/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex
    shàng
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex
    soeng6
    Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 上 上
    Reading # 1/3 2/3
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)
    shàng shàng
    Middle
    Chinese
    ‹ dzyangX › ‹ dzyangX ›
    Old
    Chinese
    /*Cə-daŋʔ/ /*m-daŋʔ/
    English ascend to put up

    Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

    * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
    * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
    * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
    * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

    * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
    Zhengzhang system (2003)
    Character 上
    Reading # 1/2
    No. 11102
    Phonetic
    component
    上
    Rime
    group
    陽
    Rime
    subdivision
    0
    Corresponding
    MC rime
    上
    Old
    Chinese
    /*djaŋʔ/
    Definitions

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

    Pronunciation 3



    Rime
    Character 上
    Reading # 1/2
    Initial (聲) 常 (25)
    Final (韻) 陽 (105)
    Tone (調) Rising (X)
    Openness (開合) Open
    Division (等) III
    Fanqie 時掌切
    Baxter dzyangX
    Reconstructions
    Zhengzhang
    Shangfang
    /d͡ʑɨɐŋX/
    Pan
    Wuyun
    /d͡ʑiɐŋX/
    Shao
    Rongfen
    /d͡ʑiɑŋX/
    Edwin
    Pulleyblank
    /d͡ʑɨaŋX/
    Li
    Rong
    /ʑiaŋX/
    Wang
    Li
    /ʑĭaŋX/
    Bernard
    Karlgren
    /ʑi̯aŋX/
    Expected
    Mandarin
    Reflex
    shàng
    Expected
    Cantonese
    Reflex
    soeng6
    Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
    Character 上
    Reading # 1/3
    Modern
    Beijing
    (Pinyin)
    shàng
    Middle
    Chinese
    ‹ dzyangX ›
    Old
    Chinese
    /*Cə-daŋʔ/
    English ascend

    Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

    * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
    * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
    * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
    * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

    * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
    Zhengzhang system (2003)
    Character 上
    Reading # 1/2
    No. 11102
    Phonetic
    component
    上
    Rime
    group
    陽
    Rime
    subdivision
    0
    Corresponding
    MC rime
    上
    Old
    Chinese
    /*djaŋʔ/
    Definitions

    上

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

    Compounds

    Descendants

    Sino-Xenic (上):
    • → Japanese: 上(じょう) (jō)
    • → Korean: 상(上) (sang)
    • → Vietnamese: thượng (上, “upper”), thướng (上, “to go up”)

    Etymology 2

    simp. and trad.
    上

    Pronunciation


    Definitions

    上

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

    Derived terms

    Etymology 3

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

    Etymology 4

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

    Further reading

    Japanese

    Kanji

    上

    (grade 1 “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

    Readings

    Compounds

    Etymology 1

    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).

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    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 of
      水(みず)の上(うえ)に浮(う)かぶ
      mizu no ue ni ukabu
      to float upon the water
    4. superior 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)
    Antonyms
    Derived terms
    Idioms

    Suffix

    上(うえ) • (-ue) ←うへ (ufe)?

    1. suffix addressing to a superior
    Derived terms

    Proper noun

    上(うえ) • (Ue) ←うへ (ufe)?

    1. a surname

    Etymology 2

    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]

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [ɯ̟ᵝɰᵝa̠]

    Noun

    上(うわ) • (uwa) ←うは (ufa)?

    1. upper, over
    Derived terms

    Proper noun

    上(うわ) • (Uwa) ←うは (ufa)?

    1. a place name

    Etymology 3

    Kanji in this term
    上
    へ
    Grade: 1
    kun’yomi
    Kanji in this term
    上
    え
    Grade: 1
    irregular

    ⟨upe2⟩ → ⟨pe2⟩ → */pe/ → /fe/ → /he/

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

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [he̞]
    • IPA(key): [e̞]
    Usage notes

    The senses are the same with ue.

    Derived terms

    Etymology 4

    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”).

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    上(かみ) • (kami) 

    1. the start
    2. a high place; the top
    3. one with higher rank
    Antonyms
    Derived terms
    Idioms

    Proper noun

    上(かみ) • (Kami) 

    1. a place name
    2. a surname

    Etymology 5

    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]

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): [kã̠ɴ]

    Noun

    上(かん) • (kan) 

    1. (obsolete) Same as かみ (kami) above
    Usage notes

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

    Derived terms

    Proper noun

    上(かん) • (Kan) 

    1. a place name

    Etymology 6

    Kanji in this term
    上
    じょう
    Grade: 1
    goon

    /d͡ʑɨau/ → /d͡ʑɔː/ → /d͡ʑoː/

    From Middle Chinese 上 (MC dzyangX|dzyangH).

    Pronunciation

    • Pitch accent for suffix unknown.

    Noun

    上(じょう) • (jō) ←じやう (zyau)?

    1. the first volume in a two- or three-volume set
      Antonym: 下 (ge)

    Suffix

    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
    Derived terms

    Proper noun

    上(じょう) • (Jō) ←じやう (zyau)?

    1. a surname

    References

    1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
    2. Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1974), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Second edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō
    3. NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK Publishing, →ISBN
    4. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
    5. Matsumura, Akira (1995) 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

    Korean

    Hanja

    上 (eumhun 윗 상 (wit sang))

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

    Compounds

    Vietnamese

    Han character

    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”).

    Compounds

    References

    1. Nguyễn et al. (2009).
    2. Trần (2004).
    3. Bonet (1899).
    4. Génibrel (1898).
    5. Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).
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