上|うえ
- 1From the standpoint of, or according to, a field, rule, or standard (legally, historically, educationally).Ex. 2
- 2In terms of or with respect to a particular aspect, often one that creates a limitation.Ex. 1
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Mainly used in written, formal, or official language such as reports, news, legal and business contexts, where it compactly means "X-wise." It attaches directly to the noun without a particle and appears in many fixed compounds, including 法律上, 経済上, 教育上, and 健康上.
Note that in this use 上 is read じょう, not うえ (予算上 is read よさんじょう).
Do not insert の before 上 here; attach it directly to the noun, as in 法律上, not 法律の上.
Learners should use it mainly with Sino-Japanese nouns, since it does not combine freely with native words or verbs.
- 上でN3「上で」is read うえで and attaches to verbs or 「名詞の」; 「上」is read じょう and attaches to Sino-Japanese nouns. 「上」has no 'after finishing one action, then...' meaning; their 'in terms of...' senses are close and sometimes interchangeable (e.g., 「法律の上で」), but 「上で」usually refers to the process of doing something.
- 上にN2「上に」is read うえに and adds 'not only... but also...,' attaching to verbs, adjectives, or 「名詞＋の／である」. 「上」is read じょう, attaches directly to a noun to specify the aspect or basis of a judgment, and is more formal and mostly used in writing, so the two cannot be interchanged.
- において / におけるN3「において」marks the place, occasion, time, or field of an event, while 「上」only specifies the angle or basis of judgment; they are close only in the 'field' sense, and 「上」cannot replace 「において」for place or time. To modify a noun, use 「における」and 「上の」respectively.
- についてN3「について」introduces the topic of what is said, thought, or investigated, in a neutral register; 「上」specifies the angle or basis of judgment and is more formal and mostly used in writing. They are not interchangeable: 「法律上」means 'viewed from the law,' while 「法律について」means 'about the law.'
- としてN3「上」is read じょう, specifies the aspect or basis of judgment (e.g., 「法律上」), mostly attaches to Sino-Japanese nouns, and is more formal and mostly used in writing. 「として」expresses identity, qualification, standpoint, or capacity (e.g., 「学生として」) in a neutral register, so the two cannot be interchanged.
Noun + 上 means "from the standpoint of X," while 上で means "after doing / in the process of doing," and 上に means "in addition to." において marks the place or field where something happens, について marks the topic being discussed, and として marks a role or capacity ("as").
