上る To Climb

Meaning

Primary

To Climb

Alternative

To Go Up

Word Type

intransitive verb, godan verb

Explanation

This word means to climb. You can tell this word is a verb because it ends with an う sound (る, in this case). Its meaning is similar to the meaning of the 上 kanji, which is "above." So this word is all about moving "above" something (in other words, climbing!)

Reading

のぼる

Explanation

上る consists of a kanji with hiragana attached, so it will use the kun'yomi reading of the kanji. For 上, there are multiple kun'yomi readings, and you didn't learn this one yet, so here's a mnemonic to help you:

You want to climb the mountain, but a gruff old man grabs your shoulder and says "No boy, you ain't climbing that thing, not today." If you're not a boy, think about how weird it is that he called you a boy. If you are a grown man, think how you wish he called you "dude" or something, not "boy." If you're a boy, well... think about how appropriate it is that he said "no boy."

Context

Common Word Combinations

• 〜を上る

  川を上る

  to go upstream

  スロープを上る

  to go up a slope

  エスカレーターを上る

  to go up an escalator

• 〜に上る

  50%に上る

  to be as high as 50%

  5000ドルに上る

  to be up to $5000

  50人に上る

  to be up to fifty people

Context Sentences

ルームメイトはロフトに上る。

My roommate goes up to the loft.

エレベーターの「上る」ボタンは、ここです。

The "up" button for the elevator is right here.

サケが川を上っているのをみた。

I saw salmon swimming upstream.

Kanji Composition

1. 上

   じょう Above