<p>上网 is used when someone is doing the action of going online. 
网上 (or sometimes 网路上）means online / on the web.</p>

<p>For instance, of the two examples you provided, you could use 网上 or 上网 under different circumstances.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>通过上网聊天，我认识了很多新朋友</p>
</blockquote>

<p>You could use "网上" to express a similar meaning: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我在网上认识了很多朋友。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>And </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>网上购物是最流行的生活方式</p>
</blockquote>

<p>You could use "上网" to express a similar meaning</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>很多人喜欢上网买东西。</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Hope this helps clear things up! :)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-11T03:44:24.850Z
2019-06-11T03:44:24.850Z
Shadoweats
<p>上网, literally "to get on the internet" [上=(verb)to get on something, 网=(noun)internet], means to surf on the internet.</p>

<p>网上, literally "on the internet" [网=(noun)internet, -上=(postposition)on something], means to be online.</p>

<p>上网聊天 = to use the internet in order to chat.</p>

<p>网上聊天 = to chat online</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-30T12:29:56.103Z
2019-06-30T12:29:56.103Z
Victor
<p>上网 and 网上 are interchangable in the two cases but not all, the meanings are similar but different in Chinese. 上网 literally means <strong>go to the internet</strong> in Chinglish, while 网上 literally means <strong>on the internet</strong>. The word <strong>上</strong> in <strong>上 + somewhere</strong> structure is a verb like that <strong>to go</strong> in English, generally means <strong>go to</strong> or <strong>get on</strong>, like 上网, 上车, 上楼, 上学, 上课. The word <strong>上</strong> in <strong>somewhere + 上</strong> structure is a preposition like that <strong>on</strong> or <strong>upon</strong> in English, like 网上, 车上, 楼上, 地上, 桌上.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-11T11:35:45.380Z
2019-06-25T14:15:18.900Z
2019-06-25T14:15:18.900Z
xenophōn
<p>上网==上+网，here 上 is a verb, meaning surf, go on</p>

<p>网上==(在)+网+上，here 在...上 means on, a preposition. But in most time, 在 is dropped off. In the same way, 桌上==在桌上， 纸上==在纸上,here 上 after nouns is the preposition.</p>

<p>Moreover, 线下==(在)线下，碗里==（在）碗里，屋外==(在)屋外</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-28T11:53:48.110Z
2019-06-30T12:19:10.990Z
2019-06-30T12:19:10.990Z
cauckf
<p>上网 is a Verb Object construction internally ("ascend net" = to get on the web). 上网购物 is a Serial Verb construction: first action 上网, second action 购物. Both actions are equal, not subordinate/main, as both are needed. "Serial" because they are chronological (need to 上网 first, before you can 购物, another Verb Object construction internally). A similar construction: 上车买票 "ascend vehicle buy voucher" = get on the bus/tram/train and buy the ticket).</p>

<p>网上 is an Adverb (answers the question "where": "where buy things?" --> 网上购物 "net on buy thing" = to shop online).  Can be an Adjective (what kind of shopping? online shopping).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-11T07:39:33.543Z
2019-06-11T07:39:33.543Z
Lillian Chia
<p>I've seen some sentences, and some of them use <code>上网</code>:</p>

<pre><code>通过上网聊天，我认识了很多新朋友

Through online chat, I meet many new friends
</code></pre>

<p>whereas for another case, it uses <code>网上</code>:</p>

<pre><code>网上购物是最流行的生活方式

Online shopping is the most popular lifestyle.
</code></pre>

<p>In both sentences, they mean as "online". But I'm a bit confused on the word order, when should we use <code>上网</code> and when should we use <code>网上</code>?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T15:51:36.887Z
通过上网 "by going onto the web" (上 functions as verb) , 网上 "on the web" (functions as postposition (preposition)),
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-10T17:24:53.427Z
Are you familiar with 楼上 vs 上楼? Same idea.
Ben Jackson
<word-order>
上网 vs 网上 word order
# 上网 vs 网上 word order

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-06-10)

I've seen some sentences, and some of them use `上网`:

```
通过上网聊天，我认识了很多新朋友

Through online chat, I meet many new friends

```

whereas for another case, it uses `网上`:

```
网上购物是最流行的生活方式

Online shopping is the most popular lifestyle.

```

In both sentences, they mean as "online". But I'm a bit confused on the word order, when should we use `上网` and when should we use `网上`?

**Tags:** word-order

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 通过上网 "by going onto the web" (上 functions as verb) , 网上 "on the web" (functions as postposition (preposition)),  
> **username_2**: Are you familiar with 楼上 vs 上楼? Same idea.  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2019-06-11. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

上网 is a Verb Object construction internally ("ascend net" = to get on the web). 上网购物 is a Serial Verb construction: first action 上网, second action 购物. Both actions are equal, not subordinate/main, as both are needed. "Serial" because they are chronological (need to 上网 first, before you can 购物, another Verb Object construction internally). A similar construction: 上车买票 "ascend vehicle buy voucher" = get on the bus/tram/train and buy the ticket).

网上 is an Adverb (answers the question "where": "where buy things?" --> 网上购物 "net on buy thing" = to shop online). Can be an Adjective (what kind of shopping? online shopping).


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-06-11. Score: 3

上网 is used when someone is doing the action of going online.
网上 (or sometimes 网路上）means online / on the web.

For instance, of the two examples you provided, you could use 网上 or 上网 under different circumstances.

> 通过上网聊天，我认识了很多新朋友

You could use "网上" to express a similar meaning:

> 我在网上认识了很多朋友。

And

> 网上购物是最流行的生活方式

You could use "上网" to express a similar meaning

> 很多人喜欢上网买东西。

Hope this helps clear things up! :)


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-06-30. Score: 0

上网, literally "to get on the internet" [上=(verb)to get on something, 网=(noun)internet], means to surf on the internet.

网上, literally "on the internet" [网=(noun)internet, -上=(postposition)on something], means to be online.

上网聊天 = to use the internet in order to chat.

网上聊天 = to chat online


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2019-06-11. Score: 0

上网 and 网上 are interchangable in the two cases but not all, the meanings are similar but different in Chinese. 上网 literally means **go to the internet** in Chinglish, while 网上 literally means **on the internet**. The word **上** in **上 + somewhere** structure is a verb like that **to go** in English, generally means **go to** or **get on**, like 上网, 上车, 上楼, 上学, 上课. The word **上** in **somewhere + 上** structure is a preposition like that **on** or **upon** in English, like 网上, 车上, 楼上, 地上, 桌上.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2019-06-28. Score: 0

上网==上+网，here 上 is a verb, meaning surf, go on

网上==(在)+网+上，here 在...上 means on, a preposition. But in most time, 在 is dropped off. In the same way, 桌上==在桌上， 纸上==在纸上,here 上 after nouns is the preposition.

Moreover, 线下==(在)线下，碗里==（在）碗里，屋外==(在)屋外


---

