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尚 (shàng) — (adverb) still, yet (formal); (conjunction) even, yet (used in 尚且…何况… pattern)

Definition

尚 (shàng) is a formal/literary 'still' and the conjunction 'even' (e.g. in 尚且…何况…). Stronger in tone than the everyday 仍然/仍旧/仍, and used mainly in writing.

adverb
stillyet (formal)
conjunction
evenyet (used in 尚且…何况… pattern)
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，。
    Shì qing shàng wèi jiě jué, nǐ men yào zhuā jǐn.
    The matter is still unresolved — you need to hurry up.
  • 尚。
    Tā shàng zài yóu yù shì fǒu jiē shòu zhè ge gōng zuò.
    He is still hesitating over whether to accept this job.
  • ，？
    Lián dà rén shàng qiě zuò bù wán, hé kuàng hái zi ne?
    Even adults can't finish it, let alone children.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
八八bā
Sound part声符shēngfú
向
向xiàng尚shàng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

尚 pairs 八 with 向: 八 carries the meaning, and 向 gives the sound.

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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