Grow with Kitty

Type in Japanese, kana, romaji or English. Every word and grammar point from N5 to N1.

    〜上(に) (~ue (ni)) — on top of that (same-direction pile-up)

    Good on good, bad on bad — 「駅に近い上に、家賃も安い」= close to the station, and on top of that cheap.

    Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

    Verb V普通形 + 上(に)
    い-adj い-adj + 上(に)
    な-adj な-adj [だ] + な/である + 上(に)
    N N [だ] + の/である + 上(に)

    Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

    When to use it

    • A friend asks how the part-time job is: 「このバイトは交通費が全額出る上に、食事もついている」(this job pays the full commute, and on top of that a meal is included).
    • On a rough day: 「今日は寝不足の上に、少し熱がある」(I have not slept enough, and on top of that I have a slight fever).

    Meaning

    「〜上(に)」= 'on top of that, also' — one thing, with another stacked on it.

    How to attach

    • Verbs and い-adjectives in plain form: 出る上に・難しい上に
    • な-adjectives with 「な」or 「である」: きれいな上に
    • Nouns with 「の」or 「である」: 寝不足の上に — never bare 「だ」; the nouns describe a state, like 寝不足・病気・満員
    • You can drop 「に」and write just 「〜上、」.

    Versus what you know

    • N4「〜し〜し」does a similar job, but 「上に」is tidier and more written/formal.
    • Do not confuse it with Lesson 3's 「〜た上で」: 「考えた上で」= after thinking (sequence), 「上に」= on top of that (addition).

    Watch out

    • Both items must point the same way — good on good, bad on bad.
    • 「駅に近い上に、家賃が高い」(near = good, expensive = bad) does not work; that needs 「が」or 「けど」. Two unrelated things cannot be joined either.
    • As with 「ばかりか」, no request or command (〜てください・〜ましょう) may follow.

    Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

    このアパートは駅に近い上に、家賃も安い。

    このアパートはえきにちかいうえに、やちんもやすい。

    This apartment is close to the station, and on top of that the rent is cheap.

    How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 近い = close (い-adj, a good point) → we attach 「上に」 to it as it is → then 「家賃も」 — "the rent too" → 安い = cheap (good + good, same direction).

    今日は寝不足の上に、頭も痛い。

    きょうはねぶそくのうえに、あたまもいたい。

    I didn't get enough sleep today, and on top of that I have a headache.

    How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 寝不足 = lack of sleep (a noun for a condition) → it is an N, so we add 「の」: 寝不足の → 「上に」 → then 「頭も」 → 痛い = hurts (bad + bad).

    店長は仕事を教えてくれた上に、晩ご飯までごちそうしてくれた。

    てんちょうはしごとをおしえてくれたうえに、ばんごはんまでごちそうしてくれた。

    The manager taught me the job, and on top of that even treated me to dinner.

    How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 教えてくれる = to teach (for me) → already happened: 教えてくれた → attach 「上に」 directly → then 「晩ご飯まで」 — "even dinner" → ごちそうしてくれた = treated me (good + good).

    Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

    Question: 1/3

    「この仕事は給料が安い__、休みも少ない。」— fill the blank.

    💡 Hint: Bad is piling on bad.

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