上

See also: 丄

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

Translingual

Stroke order

Stroke order

Han character

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

Derived characters

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

References

• KangXi: 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

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

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)
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
Oracle bone script j00024 j00025 j00026 j00027 j00028 j00029 j00030 Bronze inscriptions b00109 b00110 b00111 b00112 b00113 b00114 b00115 b00116 b00117 b00118 b00119 b00120 b00121 b00122 b00123 b00124 b00125 b00126 b00127 b00128 b00129 b00130 b00131 b00132 b00133 Small seal script s00008 Transcribed ancient scripts L35088 L35089 L35090 L35091 L35092 L35093 L35094 L17519 L17520 L17521 L17522 L17523 L17524 L17525 L17526 L17527 L17528 L17529
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).

Characters in the same phonetic series (上) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
丄	*djaŋʔ, *djaŋs
上	*djaŋʔ, *djaŋs

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

Etymology 1

From Sino-Tibetan. Cognate with Tibetan ཡང་རྩེ (yang rtse, “summit; pinnacle”) (Bodman, 1980), Mizo zo (“to be high”), zah (“to respect; to revere”). STEDT, on the other hand, considers 上 to be from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-tjaŋ (“upper part; rise; raise; top; summit”).

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／叶韵 (xiéyùn), which artificially preserves classical poetry rhyming words' pronunciations.

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): shàng (shang⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄤˋ

  (Chengdu, SP): sang⁴

  (Dungan, Cyrillic): шон (šon, III)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou, Jyutping): soeng⁶

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): siang⁵

• Gan (Wiktionary): song⁵
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): song

  (Meixian, Guangdong): song⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): son³ / hon³
• Min Dong (BUC): siông
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): siōng / siāng

  (Teochew, Peng'im): zion⁷ / ziên⁷ / siang⁶

• Wu (Wiktionary): zaan (T3)
• Xiang (Wiktionary): shan⁵ / shan⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: shàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄤˋ
    • Wade–Giles: shang4
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shanq
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shàng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɑŋ⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: sang⁴
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: sang
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /saŋ²¹³/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic: шон (šon, III)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɑŋ⁴⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: soeng⁶
    • Yale: seuhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soeng⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêng⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sœ̽ːŋ²²/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: siang⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siaŋ³²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: song⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɔŋ¹¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: song
    • Hakka Romanization System: song
    • Hagfa Pinyim: song⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /soŋ⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: song⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /sɔŋ⁵³/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: son³ / hon³
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /sɒ̃⁴⁵/, /xɒ̃⁴⁵/
• Min Dong
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: siông
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /suɔŋ²⁴²/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, General Taiwanese, Philippines, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siōng
    • Tâi-lô: siōng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siong
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /ɕiɔŋ³³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Singapore): /ɕiɔŋ²²/
    • IPA (Quanzhou, Philippines): /ɕiɔŋ⁴¹/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siāng
    • Tâi-lô: siāng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siang
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Singapore): /ɕiaŋ²²/

Note: Xiamen siāng - 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

• (Shanghainese)
  • Wiktionary: zaan (T3)
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /z̻ɑ̃²³/

Xiang

• (Changsha)
  • Wiktionary: shan⁵ / shan⁴
  • Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ʂan²¹/, /ʂan⁴⁵/
  • Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /san²¹/, /san⁴⁵/

Note:

• shan5 - vernacular;
• shan4 - literary.

---

• Middle Chinese: /d͡ʑɨɐŋ^H/

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
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

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*daŋʔ-s/

  (Zhengzhang): /*djaŋs/

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 (zhōng), 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. (Min Nan) most; extremely

Synonyms

• See 上/derived terms § Upper part, up (Chinese).

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): shàng (shang⁴)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄤˋ

  (Chengdu, SP): sang⁴

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou, Jyutping): soeng⁵

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): siang¹

• Gan (Wiktionary): song⁵
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): sông / sóng

  (Meixian, Guangdong): song¹ / song³

• Jin (Wiktionary): son³ / hon³
• Min Dong (BUC): siông / chiông
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): chiūⁿ / chiōⁿ / chiǔⁿ / chhiūⁿ / chhiōⁿ / chhiǔⁿ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): zion⁶ / ziên⁶

• Wu (Wiktionary): zaan (T3)
• Xiang (Wiktionary): shan⁵ / shan⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: shàng
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄤˋ
    • Wade–Giles: shang4
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shanq
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shàng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɑŋ⁵¹/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: sang⁴
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: sang
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /saŋ²¹³/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: soeng⁵
    • Yale: séuhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soeng⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêng⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sœ̽ːŋ¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: siang¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siaŋ³³/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: song⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɔŋ¹¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sông / sóng
    • Hakka Romanization System: song´ / song`
    • Hagfa Pinyim: song¹ / song³
    • Sinological IPA: /soŋ²⁴/, /soŋ³¹/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: song¹ / song³
    • Sinological IPA: /sɔŋ⁴⁴/, /sɔŋ³¹/

Note:

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

Jin

• (Taiyuan)⁺
  • Wiktionary: son³ / hon³
  • Sinological IPA (old-style): /sɒ̃⁴⁵/, /xɒ̃⁴⁵/

Min Dong

• (Fuzhou)
  • Bàng-uâ-cê: siông / chiông
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /suɔŋ²⁴²/, /t͡sʰuɔŋ²⁴²/

Note:

• siông - “to go up” (major reading);
• chiông - only in “to pull up”.

Min Nan

• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Yilan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Sanxia, Kinmen, Magong)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chiūⁿ
  • Tâi-lô: tsiūnn
  • Phofsit Daibuun: cviu
  • IPA (Xiamen, Kinmen): /t͡ɕiũ²²/
  • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡ɕiũ³³/
• (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Tainan)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chiōⁿ
  • Tâi-lô: tsiōnn
  • Phofsit Daibuun: cvioi
  • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡ɕiɔ̃²²/
• (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chiǔⁿ
  • Tâi-lô: tsiǔnn
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡ɕiũ²²/
• (Hokkien: Xiamen, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Yilan, Hsinchu, Taichung, Sanxia, Kinmen, Magong)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiūⁿ
  • Tâi-lô: tshiūnn
  • Phofsit Daibuun: chviu
  • IPA (Xiamen, Kinmen): /t͡ɕʰiũ²²/
  • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung): /t͡ɕʰiũ³³/
• (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Tainan)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiōⁿ
  • Tâi-lô: tshiōnn
  • Phofsit Daibuun: chvioi
  • IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡ɕʰiɔ̃²²/
• (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang)
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhiǔⁿ
  • Tâi-lô: tshiǔnn
  • IPA (Quanzhou): /t͡ɕʰiũ²²/

Note:

• chiūⁿ/chiōⁿ/chiǔⁿ - “to go up” (major reading);
• chhiūⁿ/chhiōⁿ/chhiǔⁿ - only in “to pull up; to grow; to pile up”.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: zion⁶ / ziên⁶
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tsiŏⁿ / tsiĕⁿ
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sĩõ³⁵/, /t͡sĩẽ³⁵/

Wu

• (Shanghainese)
  • Wiktionary: zaan (T3)
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /z̻ɑ̃²³/

Xiang

• (Changsha)
  • Wiktionary: shan⁵ / shan⁴
  • Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ʂan²¹/, /ʂan⁴⁵/
  • Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /san²¹/, /san⁴⁵/

Note:

• shan5 - vernacular;
• shan4 - literary.

---

• Middle Chinese: /d͡ʑɨɐŋ^X/

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
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

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*Cə-daŋʔ/, /*m-daŋʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*djaŋʔ/

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。 / 还有两个菜没上。  ―  Háiyǒu liǎng ge cài méi shàng.  ―  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. (Min) to pull upwards or hang with a rope
    • 上水 [Hokkien]  ―  chhiūⁿ-chúi [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  to draw water from a well
13. (Min Nan) to grow and attach
    • 上青苔 [Hokkien]  ―  chhiūⁿ chheⁿ-thî [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  to grow moss
14. (Xiamen Min Nan) to pile up
    • 上貨 / 上货 [Hokkien]  ―  chhiūⁿ-hòe [Pe̍h-ōe-jī]  ―  to pile up goods
15. (vulgar, usually of a male) to fuck; to have intercourse (usually with a female)
16. Particle following verbs, indicating direction or achievement.
    • 安排上了。  ―  Ānpái shàng le.  ―  It has been arranged.
17. 7th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "ascension" (𝌌)
18. (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

• See 上/derived terms § Upper part, up (Chinese).

Pronunciation 3

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): shǎng (shang³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄕㄤˇ

  (Chengdu, SP): sang³

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou, Jyutping): soeng⁵

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): siang⁵

• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): sóng
• Min Dong (BUC): siōng
• Min Nan

  (Hokkien, POJ): sióng / siáng

  (Teochew, Peng'im): siang⁶

• Wu (Wiktionary): zaan (T3)

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Pinyin: shǎng
    • Zhuyin: ㄕㄤˇ
    • Wade–Giles: shang3
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: shaang
    • Tongyong Pinyin: shǎng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʂɑŋ²¹⁴/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: sang³
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: sang
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /saŋ⁵³/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: soeng⁵
    • Yale: séuhng
    • Cantonese Pinyin: soeng⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: sêng⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sœ̽ːŋ¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: siang⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siaŋ³²/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: sóng
    • Hakka Romanization System: song`
    • Hagfa Pinyim: song³
    • Sinological IPA: /soŋ³¹/
• Min Dong
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: siōng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /suoŋ³³/
• Min Nan
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: sióng
    • Tâi-lô: sióng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siorng
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɕiɔŋ⁴¹/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Taipei): /ɕiɔŋ⁵³/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: siáng
    • Tâi-lô: siáng
    • Phofsit Daibuun: siarng
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɕiaŋ⁵³/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: siang⁶
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: siăng
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /siaŋ³⁵/
• Wu
  • (Shanghainese)
    • Wiktionary: zaan (T3)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /z̻ɑ̃²³/

---

• Middle Chinese: /d͡ʑɨɐŋ^X/

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
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

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*Cə-daŋʔ/

  (Zhengzhang): /*djaŋʔ/

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 Chinese · 聲調 (layout · text)
	平仄		平 平聲		仄 仄聲
	平上去入 四聲 古四聲		平 平聲		上 上聲		去 去聲		入 入聲
標調方法 標調法	四角標調法		꜀◌		꜂◌		◌꜄		◌꜆
	[Term?]		◌〪		◌〫		◌〬		◌〭
	[Term?]		∅		◌〮		◌〯		∅
			∅		-X		-H		-p -t -k (-ʔ)
	四聲八調		陰平	陽平	陰上	陽上	陰去	陽去	陰入	陽入
	陰	陽
標調方法 標調法	四角標調法		꜀◌	꜁◌	꜂◌	꜃◌	◌꜄	◌꜅	◌꜆	◌꜇

Compounds

• See 上/derived terms § Rising tone (Chinese).

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

For pronunciation and definitions of 上 – see 緔 (“to sole a shoe”). (This character, 上, 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.

Etymology 3

For pronunciation and definitions of 上 – see 鞝 (“the piece of leather used for soles on Chinese shoes; a patch of leather”). (This character, 上, 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.

Further reading

• “Entry #174”, in 臺灣閩南語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwan Minnan] (in Chinese and Min Nan), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2011.

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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

• 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); うわ (uwa, 上, Jōyō ^†); 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)

Compounds

• See 上/derived terms § Kanji.

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.

Bound apophonic form of uwa, ancient upa (see below), possibly by fusion with an emphatic nominal particle い (i).

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
• (Tokyo) うえ [ùé] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟ᵝe̞]

• Audio

  (file)

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

Antonyms

• 下(した) (shita)

Derived terms

• See 上/derived terms § Be above (Japanese).

Idioms

• See 上/derived terms § Be above (Japanese).

Suffix

上(うえ) • (-ue) ^{←うへ (ufe)?}

1. suffix addressing to a superior

Derived terms

• See 上/derived terms § Suffix (Japanese).

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, from Proto-Japonic *upa. The combining form of ue, ancient upe (see above).

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟ᵝɰᵝa̠]

Noun

上(うわ) • (uwa) ^{←うは (ufa)?}

1. upper, over

Derived terms

• See 上/derived terms § Upper (Japanese).

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

• Kun’yomi
• IPA^(key): [he̞]

• (Irregular reading)
• IPA^(key): [e̞]

Usage notes

The senses are the same with ue.

Derived terms

• 尾上(おのえ) (onoe)

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 C.E.) and the Man'yōshū (c. 759 C.E.).

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

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
• (Tokyo) か​み [káꜜmì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ka̠mʲi]

Noun

上(かみ) • (kami) 

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

Antonyms

• 下(しも) (shimo)

Derived terms

• See 上/derived terms § Start (Japanese).

Idioms

• See 上/derived terms § Start (Japanese).

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.

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
• 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

• See 上/derived terms § Above (Japanese).

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 d͡ʑɨɐŋ^X, d͡ʑɨɐŋ^H).

Pronunciation

• On’yomi: Goon
• (Tokyo) じょ​ー [jóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑo̞ː]

• 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(ちょう)

   hōritsu-jō no sōchō

   legal dispute

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

Derived terms

• See 上/derived terms § From the standpoint of (Japanese).

Proper noun

上(じょう) • (Jō) ^{←じやう (zyau)?}

1. a surname

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Korean

Hanja

上 (eumhun 윗 상 (wit sang))

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

Compounds

• 세상 (世上, sesang)
• 이상 (以上, isang)
• 정상 (頂上, jeongsang)
• 향상 (向上, hyangsang)

 

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Vietnamese

Han character

上: Hán Việt readings: thượng (時(thì)亮(lượng)切(thiết))
上: Nôm readings: thượng

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

Compounds

• See 上/derived terms § Upper (Vietnamese).