ChiramiN5 kanji · 3 strokes
上 means up, above
卜 a mark · 一 a line
上Real origin
A mark above a line: up, above.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- above, up
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 3
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) うえ ue
うえ (ue) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
Other Japanese readings: かみ kami, あげる ageru, あがる agaru
From Chinese (onyomi) ジョウ jou
ジョウ (jou) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Other readings from Chinese: ショウ shou, シャン shan
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
上手 じょうず · jouzu
skillful, skilled
Built from
- 卜 sign
- 一 one
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
卜 Used in 33 kanji
See all 4 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 上 mean?
Right: 上 means up, above.Not quite: 上 means up, above.In 上手, which reading does 上 use?
Right. 上手 is read じょうず (jouzu): 上 takes ジョウ, its reading from Chinese.Not quite. 上手 is read じょうず (jouzu): 上 takes ジョウ, its reading from Chinese.