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更上一层楼 (gèng shàng yī céng lóu) — to make further progress; to scale new heights; to strive for further improvement

Definition

An idiom meaning 'to reach an even higher level' — used to urge or describe continued progress from an already good result. From the poem '欲穷千里目，更上一层楼' (to see a thousand miles further, climb one more floor).

idiom
to make further progressto scale new heightsto strive for further improvement

Examples

  • ，更上一层楼，。
    Jīn nián de chéng jì yǐ jīng hěn hǎo, dàn wǒ men yào gèng shàng yī céng lóu, zhēng qǔ gèng dà de jìn bù.
    This year's results are already good, but we should strive for further improvement and make greater progress.
  • ，更上一层楼。
    Nǐ zhè cì kǎo shì dé le dì yī míng, xī wàng xià cì néng gèng shàng yī céng lóu.
    You got first place in this exam; I hope you can reach an even higher level next time.
  • ，更上一层楼，。
    Gōng sī de fā zhǎn yǐ jīng bú cuò, dàn xū yào gèng shàng yī céng lóu, cái néng zài jìng zhēng zhōng shèng chū.
    The company's development is already good, but it needs to scale new heights in order to stand out in the competition.

Origin

Characters in this word

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
攴攴pūhand holding a whip; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
𰀒
𰀒𰀒更gēng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The old form showed two chariots, 𰀒; 攴, a hand holding a whip, was added to show action, and one chariot part was dropped. The remaining part changed into the shape seen in 更.

Open 更 →

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.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 層; 层 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
尸尸shī
Sound part声符shēngfú
曾
曾céng層céng
Same sound today

The traditional form 層 uses 尸 for the meaning and 曾 for the sound; the simplified 层 is a later abbreviation.

Open 层 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 樓; 楼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
木木mùtree
Sound part声符shēngfú
婁
婁lóu樓lóu
Same sound today

The traditional form 樓 pairs 木 (tree) with 婁 as its sound part; the simplified 楼 is a later shorthand.

Open 楼 →
Appears in
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