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以上 (yǐ shàng) — more than, above (a specified number or level); the above, the aforementioned; that is all (concluding one's remarks)

Definition

以上 marks a threshold or refers to what came before in a text or speech ('ten and above', 'the above'). It's more formal than 上面 and pairs with numbers or prior content; 上 is the plain spatial 'up/on'.

noun
more thanabove (a specified number or level)the abovethe aforementionedthat is all (concluding one's remarks)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 以上。
    Shí suì yǐ shàng de hái zi kě yǐ qù shàng xué.
    Children aged ten and above can go to school.
  • 以上。
    Qǐng kàn yí xià yǐ shàng de wèn tí.
    Please take a look at the above questions.
  • 以上。
    yǐ shàng Jiù shì wǒ yào shuō de.
    That's all I want to say.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
前缀qiánzhuìPrefix

A fixed syllable in front that adds a shade of meaning but carries none of its own.

以yǐprefix
上shàngabove

The 以 part adds no meaning here, while 上 supplies the sense of above, giving 'above'.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

Open 以 →

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 →

Grammar

Appears in
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