上うわ手て

also: かみて

う

わ

て

JLPTN1

Meanings

na-adjective, noun

upper part; top

General term for the upper portion of something. Can be used as a noun or adjectival noun.

棚たなの上うわ手てに重おもい物ものを置おかないでください。
Please don't put heavy things on the upper part of the shelf.

noun

upper stream; upper course of a river

Only with reading かみて

Refers to the upstream portion of a river. Reading is かみて.

この川かわの上かみ手てにはダムがある。
There is a dam in the upper course of this river.

noun

stage left (actor's POV); right side of the stage (audience's POV)

Only with reading かみて

Theater and performance term. From the audience's perspective, it is the right side of the stage; from the actor's perspective, it is stage left. Reading is かみて.

俳はい優ゆうは上かみ手てから登とう場じょうした。
The actor entered from stage left.

na-adjective, noun

skillful; dexterous; superior

Only with reading うわて

Used in comparisons to indicate greater skill or ability. Often appears in phrases like 一枚上手 (one level above). Reading is うわて.

彼かれは私わたしより一いち枚まい上うわ手てだ。
He is one step ahead of me in skill.

noun

over-arm grip on opponent's belt

sumo

Only with reading うわて

Sumo term for a grip where the wrestler reaches over the opponent's arm to grab the back of the belt. Reading is うわて.

横よこ綱づなは上うわ手てを取とって一いっ気きに寄より切きった。
The yokozuna got an over-arm belt grip and quickly forced his opponent out.

Usage patterns

上うわ手てを取とるto get an over-arm grip on the opponent's belt (sumo)
力りき士しは素す早ばやく右みぎの上うわ手てを取とった。
The wrestler quickly got an over-arm grip with his right hand.
上うわ手てを切きるto break the opponent's over-arm belt grip (sumo)
彼かれは相あい手ての上うわ手てを切きってから前まえに出でた。
He broke his opponent's over-arm grip before pushing forward.

Expressions

上うわ手てを行いくhave the upper hand; surpass; outdo

Kanji

上above, up
手hand

Related words

優ゆう位いN1sense 4
上手 (うわて) in comparisons implies being a notch better than someone, while 優位 (ゆうい) is the more formal, abstract term for having the advantage or superior position.

Opposites

下しも手て sense 1
上手 (うわて) means the upper part—upstream, or stage-right from the audience's view—while 下手 (しもて) is the exact opposite, the lower or downstream/stage-left side.
下した手てN1sense 4
In a comparison of skill, 上手 (うわて) is the one with the advantage, while 下手 (したて) is the one at a disadvantage, as in phrases contrasting the two.

Don't confuse with

うまいN4sense 4
上手 (うわて) is used in comparative expressions like 一枚上手 to mean 'one level above', while 上手い (うまい) is the everyday adjective simply meaning 'skillful' or 'delicious'.

Word family

右みぎ上うわ手て
right-handed outside grip on the opponent's belt
左ひだり上うわ手て
left-handed outside grip on the opponent's belt
一いち枚まい上うわ手て
one step ahead; a cut above; one up
上うわ手て投なげ
overhand throw · outer-arm throw
上うわ手て捻ひねり
overarm twisting throw
上うわ手て出だし投なげ
pulling overarm throw

Built from

上うわ+手て

Written forms

上手Usage99%
- うわて
  Standard kanji spelling for both うわて and かみて readings. Context or furigana may be needed to disambiguate.
- かみて
うわてUsage1%
Kana spelling used when the うわて reading is intended, especially for the sumo term or to avoid confusion with かみて.
ウワテUsage1%
かみて
Kana spelling used when the かみて reading is intended, especially for stage directions or river geography.

Etymology

The kanji 上 (up/above) and 手 (hand) combine to suggest 'upper hand' or 'upstream'. The reading うわて derives from 上 (うわ, upper) + 手 (て, hand), while かみて comes from 上 (かみ, upper/upstream) + 手 (て).

Meanings

na-adjective, noun

upper part; top

General term for the upper portion of something. Can be used as a noun or adjectival noun.

棚たなの上うわ手てに重おもい物ものを置おかないでください。
Please don't put heavy things on the upper part of the shelf.

noun

upper stream; upper course of a river

Only with reading かみて

Refers to the upstream portion of a river. Reading is かみて.

この川かわの上かみ手てにはダムがある。
There is a dam in the upper course of this river.

noun

stage left (actor's POV); right side of the stage (audience's POV)

Only with reading かみて

Theater and performance term. From the audience's perspective, it is the right side of the stage; from the actor's perspective, it is stage left. Reading is かみて.

俳はい優ゆうは上かみ手てから登とう場じょうした。
The actor entered from stage left.

na-adjective, noun

skillful; dexterous; superior

Only with reading うわて

Used in comparisons to indicate greater skill or ability. Often appears in phrases like 一枚上手 (one level above). Reading is うわて.

彼かれは私わたしより一いち枚まい上うわ手てだ。
He is one step ahead of me in skill.

noun

over-arm grip on opponent's belt

sumo

Only with reading うわて

Sumo term for a grip where the wrestler reaches over the opponent's arm to grab the back of the belt. Reading is うわて.

横よこ綱づなは上うわ手てを取とって一いっ気きに寄より切きった。
The yokozuna got an over-arm belt grip and quickly forced his opponent out.

Usage patterns

上うわ手てを取とるto get an over-arm grip on the opponent's belt (sumo)

力りき士しは素す早ばやく右みぎの上うわ手てを取とった。

The wrestler quickly got an over-arm grip with his right hand.

上うわ手てを切きるto break the opponent's over-arm belt grip (sumo)

彼かれは相あい手ての上うわ手てを切きってから前まえに出でた。

He broke his opponent's over-arm grip before pushing forward.

Opposites

下しも手て sense 1
上手 (うわて) means the upper part—upstream, or stage-right from the audience's view—while 下手 (しもて) is the exact opposite, the lower or downstream/stage-left side.
下した手てN1sense 4
In a comparison of skill, 上手 (うわて) is the one with the advantage, while 下手 (したて) is the one at a disadvantage, as in phrases contrasting the two.

Written forms

上手Usage99%
- うわて
  Standard kanji spelling for both うわて and かみて readings. Context or furigana may be needed to disambiguate.
- かみて
うわてUsage1%
Kana spelling used when the うわて reading is intended, especially for the sumo term or to avoid confusion with かみて.
ウワテUsage1%
かみて
Kana spelling used when the かみて reading is intended, especially for stage directions or river geography.