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上行 (shàng xíng) — (of trains) up, heading toward the capital; (of boats) upstream, going against the current

Definition

A directional verb for transport: trains heading toward the capital, boats moving upstream. Pair it with 下行, which means the opposite — leaving the capital or going downstream.

verb
(of trains) upheading toward the capital(of boats) upstreamgoing against the current
Easily confused

Examples

  • 上行，。
    Zhè tàng shàng xíng liè chē kāi wǎng běi jīng, qǐng chéng kè zhù yì.
    This up train is heading to Beijing; please pay attention, passengers.
  • 上行，。
    Xiǎo chuán zài hé lǐ nì liú shàng xíng, sù dù hěn màn.
    The small boat is going upstream against the current in the river, moving very slowly.
  • ，上行。
    Qǐng chá kàn liè chē shí kè biǎo, fēn qīng shàng xíng hé xià xíng.
    Please check the train schedule and distinguish between up and down trains.

Origin

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shàngupward
行xíngtravel

“上” gives the direction upward or toward the capital, and “行” means to travel, so the meaning is moving in that direction.

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Trains & TransitBoats & Water Travel

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