Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘In addition to’, ‘not only… but also’, ‘furthermore’
🎯 Primary Function
To add information of the same polarity (positive + positive or negative + negative) to a statement.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (Plain form) + 上に
I-adj + 上に
Na-adj + な/である + 上に
Verb (nai form) + 上に / I-adj (kunai form) + 上に
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Commonly used in reports, speeches, and business presentations to list advantages or disadvantages.
Informal Situations
Used in daily conversation when complaining or praising something.
Written Language
Very common in essays and descriptive articles.
Spoken Language
Natural in explanations; often followed by ‘mo’ (also) in the second clause.
💡 Common Applications
Emphasizing multiple positive traits
Used to list several good qualities about a person or object.
Example: 彼はスポーツができる上に、勉強も得意だ。
Highlighting multiple negative situations
Used to describe a series of unfortunate events, similar to ‘to make matters worse’.
Example: 道に迷った上に、雨が降り出した。
Frequency
High in both written and spoken Japanese
Difficulty
JLPT N3
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Example Sentences
Example #1
彼女はきれいな上に、性格もいい。
Furigana: かのじょはきれいなうえに、せいかくもいい。
Romaji: Kanojo wa kirei na ue ni, seikaku mo ii.
English: She is not only beautiful but also has a great personality.
Example #2
この店は、料理がおいしい上に値段も安い。
Furigana: このみせは、りょうりがおいしいうえにねだんもやすい。
Romaji: Kono mise wa, ryouri ga oishii ue ni nedan mo yasui.
English: This restaurant’s food is delicious, and what’s more, the prices are cheap.
Example #3
彼は頭がいい上に、努力家だ。
Furigana: かれはあたまがいいいうえに、どりょくかだ。
Romaji: Kare wa atama ga ii ue ni, doryokuka da.
English: He is not only smart but also a hard worker.
Example #4
今日は雨が降っている上に、風も強い。
Furigana: きょうはあめがふっているうえに、かぜもつよい。
Romaji: Kyou wa ame ga futte iru ue ni, kaze mo tsuyoi.
English: Today it is raining, and on top of that, the wind is strong.
Example #5
このアパートは駅から近い上に、家賃も手頃だ。
Furigana: このアパートはえきからちかいうえに、やちんもてごろだ。
Romaji: Kono apaato wa eki kara chikai ue ni, yachin mo tegoro da.
English: This apartment is close to the station, and additionally, the rent is affordable.
Example #6
昨日は熱があった上に、咳もひどかった。
Furigana: きのうはねつがあったうえに、せきもひどかった。
Romaji: Kinou wa netsu ga atta ue ni, seki mo hidokatta.
English: Yesterday I had a fever, and to make matters worse, I had a terrible cough.
Example #7
漢字は覚えるのが難しい上に、書き順も複雑だ。
Furigana: かんじはおぼえるのがむずかしいうえに、かきじゅんもふくざつだ。
Romaji: Kanji wa oboeru no ga muzukashii ue ni, kakijun mo fukuzatsu da.
English: Kanji is difficult to memorize, and furthermore, the stroke order is complex.
Example #8
彼は仕事が速い上に、ミスもほとんどない。
Furigana: かれはしごとがはやいうえに、ミスもほとんどない。
Romaji: Kare wa shigoto ga hayai ue ni, misu mo hotondo nai.
English: He works fast, and besides that, he makes almost no mistakes.
Example #9
日本の夏は蒸し暑い上に、台風も多い。
Furigana: にほんのなつはむしあついうえに、たいふうもおおい。
Romaji: Nihon no natsu wa mushiatsui ue ni, taifuu mo ooi.
English: Summer in Japan is hot and humid, and what’s more, there are many typhoons.
Example #10
彼女は英語が話せる上に、フランス語も堪能だ。
Furigana: かのじょはえいごがはなせるうえに、フランスごもたんのうだ。
Romaji: Kanojo wa eigo ga hanaseru ue ni, furansugo mo tannou da.
English: She can speak English, and in addition, she is fluent in French.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
The ‘Same Polarity’ Rule
The second part of the sentence often includes the particle ‘mo’ to emphasize the addition.
Example: この本は高い上に、内容もつまらない。
Noun connection with ‘no’
When used with nouns, it implies one thing is layered upon another.
Example: Noun + の + 上に (e.g., 不運の上に不運が重なった)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using ‘ue ni’ to connect a positive trait and a negative trait.
✅ 彼は親切な上に、厳しい。(Incorrect polarity) -> 彼は親切だが、厳しい。
You cannot mix positive and negative attributes using ‘ue ni’. Both sides must have the same ‘value’.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral to Formal. It is slightly more formal than just using ‘sore ni’ or ‘oshikamo’.
Social Situations: Often used in job interviews to list skills or in reviews to describe products.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese used nationwide.
🔍 Subtle Differences
上に vs ばかりか
‘Ue ni’ is a simple addition, while ‘bakari ka’ emphasizes that the first part is already a lot, and the second part is even more surprising.
When to use: Use ‘ue ni’ for general additions and ‘bakari ka’ for more dramatic emphasis.
上に vs に加えて
‘Ni kuwaete’ is more often used with nouns to mean ‘in addition to’. ‘Ue ni’ is more versatile with verbs and adjectives.
When to use: Use ‘ni kuwaete’ for formal listing of items/nouns.
📝 Conjugation Notes
For Nouns, you must use ‘Noun + の + 上に’. For Na-adjectives, use ‘Na-adj + な’ or ‘Na-adj + である’.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The particle ‘ni’ is often followed by a slight pause to emphasize the addition.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘ue’ (top/up). You are placing one piece of information ‘on top’ of another already existing piece of information.
Other Grammar
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