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上上下下 (shàng shàng xià xià) — everyone (from top to bottom); all members of a group; old and young

Definition

A set phrase (bound form, read shàngxiàxiàxià) meaning 'everyone in a group without exception' — from the highest to the lowest, the old and the young. Always placed after the noun it refers to (e.g. 全家上上下下).

bound form
everyone (from top to bottom)all members of a groupold and young

Examples

  • 上上下下。
    Gōng sī shàng shàng xià xià dōu zài nǔ lì.
    Everyone in the company, from top to bottom, is working hard.
  • 上上下下。
    Tā men yì jiā shàng shàng xià xià dōu hěn kāi xīn.
    Their whole family, young and old, is very happy.
  • 上上下下。
    Zhè ge jué dìng yǐng xiǎng le xué xiào shàng shàng xià xià.
    This decision affected the entire school, including everyone from staff to students.

Origin

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.

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 →

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 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesPeople (General)

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