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上書

简上书 · 繁上書

Mandarin · pinyin shàng shū

to write a letter (to the authorities)
to present a petition

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Characters in this entry

上: shàng · top; superior, highest; go up, send up
書: Look up this written character
书: shū · book, letter, document; writings

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

4–1 · shang4 shu1

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

上書 · find source passages ↗ · 上书 · find source passages ↗

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

verb

to submit a document to one's superior or higher authorities; to present a petition
(archaic) to memorialize the emperor
(archaic) to teach a new lesson

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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