上

shǎng, shàng

HSK 2.0 1

HSK 3.0 1

Rank #16

Definitions

shàng (adjective) above; up; on top; upper

shàng (verb) to go up; to climb; to get onto

shàng (verb) to attend (class)

shàng (adjective) previous; first (of multiple parts)

Etymology

Originally a small line or dot above a longer line, indicating "up". The vertical line was added to distinguish the character from 二 (two). Opposite of 下.

About

The character "上" began as a visual ideogram denoting a spatial relationship, with its form consisting of a short stroke positioned above a longer horizontal line to directly signify "above" or "on top". This structural simplicity, conveying the idea of something elevated relative to a base, has persisted without fundamental alteration. From its core meaning of physical placement, the term gradually acquired broader applications, evolving to indicate upward motion as in "to ascend" or "to go up", and abstract concepts such as superiority, earlier sequences, or prior instances. These extensions enabled its use across multiple linguistic functions, including serving as a preposition for surfaces or locations, a noun for higher authority or past times, and a verb for actions involving rise or presentation, demonstrating how a basic pictorial concept developed into a versatile lexical element.