shàng xià
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Chinese dictionary
Show pinyin

  • 1

    n.high and low; upper and lower

    • quán jūn shàng xià dōu shòu dào le gǔ wǔ

      全军上下受到鼓舞

      The whole army was encouraged.

    • dǎ kāi shàng xià bèng

      打开上下

      Open the high and low pump.

    • xiǎo chuán zài bào fēng yǔ zhōng shàng xià huàng dang

      暴风雨上下晃荡

      The boat pitched about in the storm.

  • 2

    n.from top to bottom

    • wǒ shàng xià dǎ liang zhe tā

      上下打量

      I look him up and down.

    • tā shàng xià dǎ liang le yī huì zhè ge mò shēng rén

      上下打量这个陌生人

      He looked the stranger up and down for a moment.

    • zhè ge shuǐ tǎ shàng xià yǒu mǐ

      这个水塔上下50

      The water tower is fifty metres high.

  • 3

    n.old and young

    • quán jiā shàng xià dōu hěn jīng xǐ

      全家上下惊喜

      All members of the family, old and young, are very surprised.

    • tā yíng dé le guó nèi shàng xià de zhī chí

      赢得国内上下支持

      He has won the support from top to bottom of this country.

    • tā kǎo shàng le míng pái dà xué quán jiā shàng xià dōu wèi tā gǎn dào jiāo ào

      名牌大学全家上下感到骄傲

      All members of her family, old and young, are very proud that she has been admitted to a famous university.

  • 4

    v.go up and down

    • wǒ men měi tiān yòng diàn tī shàng xià

      我们电梯上下

      We use a lift to go up and down every day.

    • lóu tī tài zhǎi le shàng xià hěn bù fāng biàn

      楼梯上下方便

      It's inconvenient to go up and down the narrow stairs.

    • mó tiān lóu li yǒu diàn tī shàng xià hěn fāng biàn

      摩天楼电梯上下方便

      With an elevator in the skyscraper, we can easily go up and down.

  • 5

    n.relative superiority or inferiority

    • liǎng wèi hòu xuǎn rén jī hū bù fēn shàng xià

      候选人几乎不分上下

      Two candidates virtually tied.

  • 6

    n.about; or so

    • suì shàng xià

      30上下

      thirty or so

    • yī qiān jīn shàng xià de shōu cheng

      上下收成

      yield about 1,000 jin per mu

Word usage

  • Note
    The usage difference between "上下" "左右" and "前后": 1)"上下" "左右" can be used to indicate an estimate of age, such as "30岁上下" and "30岁左右"; but "30岁前后" has a differnt meaning; 2) "左右" "前后" can be used to indicate an estimate of time, such as "10点左右", "11点前后"; but "12点上下" is not proper; 3) "上下" "左右" can be used to indicate an estimate of spatial distance, such as "3米上下", "5米左右"; but not "8米前后" is not proper.
  • "上下" can be reduplicated, for example: "上上下下".
    • 举止使喜欢

      Her manners recommend her to high and low alike.