上 means “above, up”

うえ · ue

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

うえ, うわ-, かみ, あげる, あがる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ジョウ, ショウ, シャン

JLPT N5 · Taught in grade 1 · 3 strokes

The story

A short stroke rising above the baseline, among the first characters ever carved, a finger pointing at the sky. Climb anything in Japan, from Mount Fuji to the company ladder, and you are heading 上.

Used in 上手 (jouzu, skilled), 屋上 (okujou, rooftop), and 以上 (ijou, more than)

Words with 上

• 上下 (じょうげ, jouge): up and down

More from Compass & Position

• 東 east
• 方 direction
• 外 outside
• 下 below
• 以 from
• 区 ward
• 北 north
• 所 place
• 西 west
• 南 south
• 図 map
• 右 right

Learn 上 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.