one step above; a cut above; one better
Idiomatic noun/adjectival phrase meaning someone or something is superior or a notch above another. Often used in comparisons with より or の.
His cooking skills are a cut above the pros'.
This new product has performance that is a notch above the conventional one.
A shortening of 一枚上手, literally “one sheet higher,” an expression for someone or something of superior ability or quality.