上
Mnemonic
A ballerina balances on one pointed toe, rising above the stage floor. Every muscle trembles as she holds the pose, hovering above the ground on that single razor-thin point. The spotlight catches her above the darkness—one perfect silhouette defying gravity.
Additional thoughts
Picture the kanji 上: the horizontal stroke is the one line (the floor), and the ballerina's figure rises above it. The shape itself looks like someone standing on a platform, reaching upward.Quick recall
A ballerina on one toe rises above the stage.Details
The keyword for 上 is above. This kanji represents the concept of being on top, upper, or higher in position. It conveys the idea of something situated over or upon something else, and by extension can refer to superiority, going upward, or ascending. It is one of the most fundamental spatial concepts in Japanese, standing in direct contrast to 下 (below).
- On'yomi
- じょう、しょう、しゃん
- Kun'yomi
- うえ、-うえ、うわ-、かみ、あ.げる、-あ.げる、あ.がる、-あ.がる、あ.がり、-あ.がり、のぼ.る、のぼ.り、のぼ.せる、のぼ.す、たてまつ.る