上交 (shàng jiāo) — to submit to a higher authority, to turn over (…

Definition

上交 means to hand something up the chain — documents, homework, reports — to a superior or higher office. It often pairs with 把 or 给, as in 把作业上交.

verb

to submit to a higher authorityto turn over (to one's superiors)

上交。
Tā bì xū bǎ zhè fèn bào gào shàng jiāo gěi lǎo bǎn.
He must submit this report to the boss.
上交。
Xué shēng men měi zhōu dōu yào shàng jiāo zuò yè.
The students have to turn in their homework every week.
上交，。
Tā wèi le shàng jiāo lǐng dǎo, tè dì xiě le fēng xìn.
He wrote a letter specifically to submit to the leadership.

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.

交jiāohand over

上 points to a higher level, and 交 means to hand over or submit.

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.

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

交 originally drew a human with crossed legs. In the modern shape, the upper part resembles a standing person.