上 means “up / above”

Watch: Gen and Shibamaru learn 上

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Where 上 comes from

上 began as a short mark above a base line: something above.

Stroke order (3 strokes)

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3

Words with 上

• 

  上うえ

  UE

  above / on

• 

  上手じょうず

  JOUZU

  good at

• 

  上着うわぎ

  UWAGI

  jacket

• 

  上がるあがる

  AGARU

  to go up

The part of each word written with 上 is shown in orange. Audio: the readings from our video.

Reading tips

• 上手 (JOUZU) means "good at." If you speak a little Japanese in Japan, you will probably hear 日本語 上手ですね (NIHONGO JOUZU DESU NE, "Your Japanese is good!").
• 上がる (AGARU) also means "to come in" at someone's home, because Japanese houses have a step up at the entrance. お上がりください (OAGARI KUDASAI) means "Please come in."
• In 上着 (UWAGI, jacket), うえ becomes うわ (UWA).

Other readings of 上

• のぼ(る)上る のぼる NOBORU to climb
• かみ川上 かわかみ KAWAKAMI upstream

These readings are not in the video. You will meet them later.

In the video

• Shibamaruどうぞ、お上がりくださいPlease, come on in!
• Genおじゃまします！Thank you for having me!

Example sentences

• つくえの 上に ペンが あります。

  TSUKUE NO UE NI PEN GA ARIMASU.

  There is a pen on the desk.

• にほんごが 上手ですね。

  NIHONGO GA JOUZU DESU NE.

  Your Japanese is good!

Keep learning kanji

• GENKI I Textbook (3rd Edition)

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  A popular first textbook used in many university courses. Each lesson has a dialogue, grammar explanations in English, and plenty of practice.

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• Minna no Nihongo Beginner I Main Textbook (2nd Edition)

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  Written entirely in Japanese, with lots of sentence-pattern practice. Use it together with the Translation & Grammar Notes book.

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