上: the kanji for up and above
上 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means up, above. Below are its readings, 20 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
上 is written in 3 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
上 has 10 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 19 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ジョウ (jou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 以上いじょう · ijō | or more; that's all |
| 上司じょうし · jōshi | boss; supervisor |
| 上級じょうきゅう · jōkyū | advanced (level) |
| 上旬じょうじゅん · jōjun | the first ten days of a month |
| 上昇じょうしょう · jōshō | rise; increase |
| 地上ちじょう · chijō | above ground |
| 屋上おくじょう · okujō | rooftop |
| 上京じょうきょう · jōkyō | moving to Tokyo |
うえ (ue)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上うえ · ue | top; above |
| 目上めうえ · meue | one's senior |
| 年上としうえ · toshiue | older (than someone) |
うわ (uwa)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上着うわぎ · uwagi | jacket |
| 上履きうわばき · uwabaki | indoor shoes |
かみ (kami)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 川上かわかみ · kawakami | upstream |
あげる (ageru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上げるあげる · ageru | to raise; to give |
| 売り上げうりあげ · uriage | sales |
あがる (agaru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上がるあがる · agaru | to go up; to rise |
のぼる (noboru)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上るのぼる · noboru | to go up; to climb |
| 上りのぼり · nobori | going up; an inbound train |
Special readings to learn as whole words
These words use 上, but their readings do not follow the readings above. The Jōyō Kanji Table lists them as special readings. Learn each one as a whole word.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 上手じょうず · jōzu | skillful; good at |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 上司に報告します。Jōshi ni hōkoku shimasu.I'll report to my boss.
- 以上で説明を終わります。Ijō de setsumei o owarimasu.That concludes my explanation.
- 今月の売り上げが上がりました。Kongetsu no uriage ga agarimashita.Sales went up this month.
- 上着を脱いでください。Uwagi o nuide kudasai.Please take off your jacket.
- 机の上にパソコンがあります。Tsukue no ue ni pasokon ga arimasu.There's a computer on the desk.
- 日本語が上手ですね。Nihongo ga jōzu desu ne.Your Japanese is very good.
Questions about 上
How many strokes does 上 have?
上 is written in 3 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 上?
The on readings are jou (ジョウ), shou (ショウ). The kun readings are ue (うえ), uwa (うわ), kami (かみ), ageru (あげる), agaru (あがる), noboru (のぼる), noboseru (のぼせる), nobosu (のぼす).
How do you say "that's all" at the end of a presentation?
Say 以上です (ijō desu). 以上 (ijō) means "the above" or "or more," and 以上です is a common way to close a report or presentation.
What JLPT level is 上?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Places and directions
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 上
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.