Translation guide
The English word 'up' has many meanings and uses. This guide focuses on the most common ones for English-speaking learners of Japanese, organized by practical meaning.
Expressing movement or direction toward a higher place.
Noun meaning 'above' or 'up'. Used to indicate a higher position.
The book is on the desk (up on the desk).
Intransitive verb meaning 'to go up', 'to rise'. Used for moving upward.
階段を上がってください。
Please go up the stairs.
Transitive verb meaning 'to raise', 'to lift up'. Used when someone moves something upward.
手を上げてください。
Please raise your hand (put your hand up).
Noun/verb meaning 'rise', 'ascent'. More formal, often used for prices, temperatures, etc.
気温が上昇した。
The temperature went up.
Expressing an increase in amount, degree, or intensity.
Intransitive verb for something increasing (e.g., prices, temperature).
物価が上がっている。
Prices are going up.
Transitive verb for raising something (e.g., volume, salary).
Intransitive verb meaning 'to increase' in number or quantity.
Transitive verb meaning 'to increase' something.
Expressing that an action is finished or completed, often with a sense of finality.
Verb ending indicating completion, often with a nuance of regret or doing something thoroughly. '〜ちゃう' is casual.
宿題をやってしまった。
I finished up my homework.
全部食べちゃった。
I ate it all up.
Attached to verb stem to mean 'finish doing'. More neutral than 〜てしまう.
レポートを書き終わった。
I finished writing up the report.
Attached to verb stem to mean 'do completely', 'do to the end'. Emphasizes thoroughness.
お金を使いきった。
I used up all the money.
Expressing the action of rising from sleep or from a lying/sitting position.
Expressing that someone or something is approaching or arriving.
Intransitive verb meaning 'to approach', 'to come near'.
締め切りが近づいている。
The deadline is coming up.
Phrase meaning 'to come along', 'to turn up'. Often used for people or events.
Expressing the state of being awake and not in bed.
Expressing reaching a certain level, standard, or limit.
Particle meaning 'up to', 'until'. Indicates a limit in space, time, or quantity.
ここまで来てください。
Please come up to here.
3人まで入れます。
Up to three people can enter.
Formal pattern meaning 'it depends on', 'it is up to'. Used to express that something is contingent.
成功は努力次第だ。
Success is up to your effort.
Common English phrasal verbs with 'up' and their Japanese equivalents.
For 'give up', meaning to stop trying.
夢を諦めないで。
Don't give up on your dreams.
For 'clean up' or 'tidy up'.
For 'give up', meaning to surrender or stop trying.
For 'show up' or 'turn up', meaning to appear.
For 'give up', meaning to stop doing something.
English uses 'up' in many phrasal verbs and idiomatic expressions that do not translate directly to Japanese with 上 or 上がる. Always consider the meaning of the whole phrase.
電話を切る
to hang up the phone
上がる is intransitive (something goes up by itself), while 上げる is transitive (someone raises something).
Please turn up the volume.
The population went up.
I want to build up my savings.
大きな音で目を覚ました。
I woke up from a loud noise.
彼が突然やって来た。
He turned up suddenly.
部屋を片付けなさい。
Clean up your room.
彼はタバコをやめた。
He gave up smoking.
彼はパーティーに現れなかった。
He didn't show up to the party.
ギブアップする
to give up (loanword from English, casual)