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HSK 1

上

up; on; above; previous

nounneutral
上
shàng4th tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
shàng
Part of speech
noun
Level
HSK 1
Strokes
3
Register
neutral

Stroke order for 上

上 is written with 3 strokes. The animation replays automatically.

What does 上 mean?

上 (shàng) is one of the most versatile characters in Chinese.

As a location word it means 'on / on top of / above' (桌子上 'on the table'); as a directional verb it means 'to go up / get on' (上车 'get in a car,' 上山 'go up the mountain'); as a time word it means 'last / previous' (上个星期 'last week'). In compound verbs and nouns 上 appears everywhere: 上课 'attend class,' 上班 'go to work,' 上网 'go online,' 早上 'morning,' 上面 'above / the top.' Two things to know: first, when 上 marks location it normally follows the noun (桌子上, not 上桌子).

Second, 上 vs 下 ('down / below / next') and 上 vs 上海 (the city) share the character but rely on context. 上 is among the highest-frequency characters in the language.

Memory hook: 上 has a short stroke ABOVE a long horizontal line — a thing sitting 'on top' of a surface.

Example sentences

书在桌子上。

Shū zài zhuōzi shàng.

The book is on the table.

neutral

我早上八点上班。

Wǒ zǎoshang bā diǎn shàng bān.

I go to work at eight in the morning.

neutral

上个星期我去了北京。

Shàng gè xīngqī wǒ qù le Běijīng.

Last week I went to Beijing.

neutral

我们上车吧。

Wǒmen shàng chē ba.

Let's get in the car.

spoken

Common phrases with 上

上班shàng bānto go to work
上课shàng kèto attend class
上网shàng wǎngto go online
早上zǎoshangmorning
上个月shàng gè yuèlast month

Synonyms

上面shàngmian

上面 is the full noun 'top / above.' Use it when 'above' stands alone in a sentence. 上 attaches to other nouns (桌子上). 上面 can stand by itself (上面有书 'there's a book on top').

Don't confuse 上 with

下xià

下 is the mirror image — 'down / below / next.' 上 has the short stroke on top; 下 has it on the bottom. 上个星期 'last week' vs 下个星期 'next week.'

尚shàng

尚 means 'still / yet / esteem' (尚未 'not yet'), more literary. Same pinyin but completely different character and use.

FAQ

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