上下级 (shàng xià jí) — superior-subordinate relationship; people at different ranks (upper and lower levels) within an organization

Definition

noun
superior-subordinate relationshippeople at different ranks (upper and lower levels) within an organization

Examples

  • 上下级。
    Tā chǔ lǐ shàng xià jí guān xì hěn yǒu yí tào.
    He is very good at handling superior-subordinate relationships.
  • 上下级。
    Gōng sī de shàng xià jí gōu tōng yí dìng yào shùn chàng.
    Communication between superiors and subordinates in a company must be smooth.
  • 上下级。
    Zhè cì huì yì yāo qǐng le suǒ yǒu shàng xià jí cān jiā.
    This meeting invited all superiors and subordinates to attend.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

上下upper and lower
上shàngupper下xiàlower
联合Side by side
级jílevel

“上” and “下” mean upper and lower, while “级” gives rank, so it names hierarchical ranks.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

下 is drawn as a short horizontal line below a long curved line.

Open 下 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 級; 级 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糹Written in full as糸mìthread
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí級jí
Same sound today

The traditional form 級 has 糹 (thread) and 及 as a sound part; its original sense was a sequence related to silk. The simplified 级 is a later shorthand.

Open 级 →

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