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上身 (shàng shēn) — torso, upper body; upper outer garment (blouse, jacket, etc.); (verb) to put on, to wear (clothing on the upper body)

Definition

上身 has two unrelated meanings: as a noun, the 'torso / upper body', or the 'upper outer garment' (blouse, jacket); as a verb, 'to put on' clothes on the upper body. Contrast with 穿上, which focuses on the act of dressing.

noun
torsoupper bodyupper outer garment (blouse, jacket, etc.)
verb
to put onto wear (clothing on the upper body)
Measure word · 件

Examples

  • 上身，。
    Tā shàng shēn chuān zhuó bái sè chèn shān, kàn qǐ lái hěn jīng shén.
    He is wearing a white shirt on his upper body, looking very energetic.
  • 上身。
    Zhè jiàn shàng shēn de cì xiù fēi cháng jīng měi.
    The embroidery on this upper garment is very exquisite.
  • ，上身。
    Tiān lěng le, kuài bǎ zhè jiàn wài tào shàng shēn ba.
    It's getting cold, quickly put on this jacket.

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shàngupper
身shēnbody

The 身 (body) is 上 (upper).

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 →

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

The shape of 身 comes from a drawing of a pregnant woman.

Open 身 →
Appears in
Body PartsClothing

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