上
up; on; above; previous
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HSK level
- Pinyin
- shàng
- Part of speech
- noun
- Level
- HSK 1
- Strokes
- 3
- Register
- neutral
- In episodes
- 2
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.
Hear 上 in real episodes
上 appears in 2 Fluentide podcast episodes at natural native speed. Each sentence plays at the easiest difficulty it exists in — switch it to hear the same moment at your level, with full pinyin and English throughout.
一架小飞机从天上直着掉下来。
A small plane fell straight down from the sky.
Learjet Crashes in Florida, Killing All Nine Aboard
这家公司做电脑上用的软件。
This company makes software for computers.
Palantir Profit Soars as U.S. Commercial Revenue Overtakes Government Business for the First Time
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
Synonyms
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
Frequently asked questions
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire it by listening
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