上等 (shàng děng) — first-class, superior (in quality or rank)

Definition

first-classsuperior (in quality or rank)

上等。
Zhè jiā gōng sī zhī mài shàng děng chǎn pǐn.
This company only sells first-class products.
上等。
Tā shōu dào le shàng děng jiǎng lì.
He received a superior award.
上等。
Zhè zhǒng chá yè shì shàng děng de.
This type of tea is of superior quality.

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 gives upper and 等 gives grade, so an upper grade.

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.

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

竹寺等

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

寺

寺sì等děng

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The top 竹 shows bamboo strips used for writing and sorting; the bottom 寺 once gave the sound, but now sounds different.

Appears in