This pulls together the more advanced senses of the direction complements you’ve already met — starting with the seven extended jobs 上上 shàng can do beyond literal “up,” then 過过 guò crossing a point on its own.

1 V + 上上 shàng

上上 shàng has seven common extended uses. Here they are, one at a time.

1. Get Closer To

Catching up — closing the gap until you’re right there with them.

狗gǒu追zhuī上shàng了le小偷xiǎotōu狗gǒu追zhuī上shàng了le小偷xiǎotōu

The dog caught up with the thief.

小心xiǎoxīn跟gēn上shàng我wǒ小心xiǎoxīn跟gēn上shàng我wǒ

Careful, keep up with me!

我wǒ終於zhōngyú趕gǎn上shàng了le末班車mòbānchē我wǒ终于zhōngyú赶gǎn上shàng了le末班车mòbānchē

I finally made it in time for the last bus.

2. From Open to Closed

English has “close/shut” for all of these — Chinese uses a different verb depending on what’s closing, with 上上 shàng marking that it’s now shut.

閉bì上shàng眼睛yǎnjīng闭bì上shàng眼睛yǎnjīng

Close your eyes.

關guān上shàng門mén关guān上shàng门mén

Close the door.

闔hé上shàng書shū阖hé上shàng书shū

Close the book.

3. Make Something Exist Somewhere

4. Achieve a Difficult Goal

他tā終於zhōngyú當dāng上shàng醫師yīshī了le他tā终于zhōngyú当dāng上shàng医师yīshī了le

He finally became a doctor.

我wǒ考kǎo上shàng耶魯大學Yélǔ dàxué了le我wǒ考kǎo上shàng耶鲁大学Yélǔ dàxué了le

I got into Yale University.

你nǐ一定yídìng能néng申請shēnqǐng上shàng理想lǐxiǎng的de工作gōngzuò你nǐ一定yídìng能néng申请shēnqǐng上shàng理想lǐxiǎng的de工作gōngzuò

You’ll definitely land your dream job.

5. “Up To; As Many As”

6. Wearing; Putting On

穿chuān上shàng衣服yīfú穿chuān上shàng衣服yīfú

Put on your clothes.

戴dài上shàng項鍊xiàngliàn戴dài上shàng项链xiàngliàn

Put on the necklace.

繫jì上shàng領帶lǐngdài系jì上shàng领带lǐngdài

Tie up the tie.

7. Add

2 V + 過过 guò — Crossing a Point

Without 來来 lái or 去去 qù, 過过 guò marks something passing through, across, or beyond a point — an object handed over, a body part turning, or a target overshot.

1. Handing Something Over

2. A Body Part Turns

3. Overshooting the Right Point

Here 過过 guò stands alone with no 來来 lái or 去去 qù — the action went past where it should have stopped.

3 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.