Chinese word

上游

Pronunciation

Pinyinshàng yóu

Meaning

  • nounupstream

Example

这条河的上游水很清。zhè tiáo hé de shàng yóu shuǐ hěn qīng

The water in the upper reaches of this river is very clear.

Illustration for 上游 (upstream)

More examples

在供应链紧张时，上游供应商的交货延迟会影响整个生产。zài gōng yìng liàn jǐn zhāng shí shàng yóu gōng yìng shāng de jiāo huò yán chí huì yíng xiǎng zhěng gè shēng chǎn

When the supply chain is under strain, delayed deliveries from upstream suppliers can affect the entire production process.

Core concept

The part of a river, process, or system nearest its source or starting point.

Common phrases

  • 上游供应商shàng yóu gōng yìng shāng

    upstream supplier

  • 上游环节shàng yóu huán jié

    upstream stage

  • 上游产业shàng yóu chǎn yè

    upstream industry

Similar words

上流shàng liú: The part of a river near where it begins.
源头yuán tóu: The starting point or original cause of something.
发源地fā yuán dì: The place where something such as a river or culture originates.
源泉yuán quán: A spring or other source from which water or power comes.

Definition in Chinese

表示河流的上流域或朝向源头的一侧，也引申用于指处于某一系统或链条起点附近的上端部分。biǎo shì hé liú de shàng liú yù huò cháo xiàng yuán tóu de yí cè yě yǐn shēn yòng yú zhǐ chǔ yú mǒu yí xì tǒng huò liàn tiáo qí diǎn fù jìn de shàng duān bù fèn

Word origin

The river sense of 上游 (shàngyóu, "upstream") supplies the spatial basis for its extended use at the beginning side of a process or system.

Usage tips

  • 上游 (shàngyóu, "upstream") is a noun in Chinese, so 在上游 (zài shàngyóu, "at the upstream end") marks location while 往上游 (wǎng shàngyóu, "toward the upstream end") marks direction.

Other meanings

  • upper reachesnoun
  • upstream sidenoun

Opposites

  • 下游xià yóudownstreamnoun
  • 下游企业xià yóu qǐ yèdownstream businessnoun

Word lists with this word