<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>from the high position looking down</li>
</ol>
<p>When the verb denotes upward action or direction, and the object denotes 'comparatively high position', '上' means 'up to (successfully)'</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Example:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>登山顶 - reach the mountain top (登 shows you are attempting to reach the mountain top, but doesn't clearly indicate you have done so successfully)</p>
</li>
<li><p>登(上)山顶 - reach (up to) the mountain top (登上 indicates you not only attempted, but also successfully reached up to the mountain top)</p>
</li>
<li><p>爬河堤 - Climb the river embankment (爬 shows you are attempting to climb an embankment)</p>
</li>
<li><p>爬(上)河堤 - Climb (up to) the river embankment (爬上 indicates you not only attempted, but also successfully climbed up to the embankment)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<ol start="2">
<li>presents the result of the action:</li>
</ol>
<p>When the verb denotes 'applying',  '上' denotes 'onto successfully'</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Example:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>穿外衣 - wear jacket (the action 穿 must be applied to a body)</p>
</li>
<li><p>穿(上)外衣 - wear jacket onto (上 shows the verb 穿 is successfully applied onto a body)</p>
</li>
<li><p>寫四個字 - write four words (the action 寫 must be applied to a surface)</p>
</li>
<li><p>寫(上)四個字 - write four words onto (上 shows the verb 寫 is successfully applied on to a surface)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<ol start="3">
<li>presents the beginning and continuation of the action:</li>
</ol>
<p>when the verb implies it is an ongoing action</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Example:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>她爱草原 - she loves grassland (the action love is a continuous action. )</p>
</li>
<li><p>她爱上了草原 - she fell in love with grassland (上 show the beginning of the verb 爱, and the verb 爱 itself is a continuous action)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>吃上饭 is not an example for 'verb that indicates successfully apply'. It is an example for 'verb that indicate successfully acquire'</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li><p>吃饭 - eat meal</p>
</li>
<li><p>吃(上)饭 - (successfully) eat (acquired) meal</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-17T03:52:31.877Z
wow so detailed. Thank you so much!
Jenny
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-16T16:51:56.180Z
2020-06-17T12:15:26.400Z
2020-06-17T12:15:26.400Z
Tang Ho
<p>I look up in <a href="http://dict.youdao.com/w/eng/%E4%B8%8A/#keyfrom=dict2.index" rel="nofollow noreferrer">youdao</a> and it says meanings of 上 as below :</p>

<pre><code>(1) from the high position looking down: 登上山顶, 爬上河堤

(2) presents the result of the action: 穿上外衣, 没吃上饭

(3) presents the beginning and continuation of the action: 她爱上了草原。or 他拿起一把铲就干上了。
</code></pre>

<p>So, <strong>How can I know when to use 上 after a verb?</strong> </p>

<p>Because after reading the definition, I am still confused: to express 1st meaning, used verbs must show the upward direction of action? is 2nd meaning the same as "完"?</p>

<grammar><word><result-complement>
Meaning of 上 as Result Complement
# Meaning of 上 as Result Complement

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-16)

I look up in [youdao](http://dict.youdao.com/w/eng/%E4%B8%8A/#keyfrom=dict2.index) and it says meanings of 上 as below :

```
(1) from the high position looking down: 登上山顶, 爬上河堤

(2) presents the result of the action: 穿上外衣, 没吃上饭

(3) presents the beginning and continuation of the action: 她爱上了草原。or 他拿起一把铲就干上了。

```

So, **How can I know when to use 上 after a verb?**

Because after reading the definition, I am still confused: to express 1st meaning, used verbs must show the upward direction of action? is 2nd meaning the same as "完"?

**Tags:** grammar, word, result-complement


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-06-16. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

> 1. from the high position looking down
>
> When the verb denotes upward action or direction, and the object denotes 'comparatively high position', '上' means 'up to (successfully)'

Example:

* 登山顶 - reach the mountain top (登 shows you are attempting to reach the mountain top, but doesn't clearly indicate you have done so successfully)
* 登(上)山顶 - reach (up to) the mountain top (登上 indicates you not only attempted, but also successfully reached up to the mountain top)
* 爬河堤 - Climb the river embankment (爬 shows you are attempting to climb an embankment)
* 爬(上)河堤 - Climb (up to) the river embankment (爬上 indicates you not only attempted, but also successfully climbed up to the embankment)

> 2. presents the result of the action:
>
> When the verb denotes 'applying', '上' denotes 'onto successfully'

Example:

* 穿外衣 - wear jacket (the action 穿 must be applied to a body)
* 穿(上)外衣 - wear jacket onto (上 shows the verb 穿 is successfully applied onto a body)
* 寫四個字 - write four words (the action 寫 must be applied to a surface)
* 寫(上)四個字 - write four words onto (上 shows the verb 寫 is successfully applied on to a surface)

> 3. presents the beginning and continuation of the action:
>
> when the verb implies it is an ongoing action

Example:

* 她爱草原 - she loves grassland (the action love is a continuous action. )
* 她爱上了草原 - she fell in love with grassland (上 show the beginning of the verb 爱, and the verb 爱 itself is a continuous action)

> 吃上饭 is not an example for 'verb that indicates successfully apply'. It is an example for 'verb that indicate successfully acquire'

* 吃饭 - eat meal
* 吃(上)饭 - (successfully) eat (acquired) meal

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: wow so detailed. Thank you so much!  

---

