上じょう級きゅう国こく民みん

Meanings

the elite; privileged class

Colloquial, often sarcastic term for people who enjoy special treatment or immunity, especially in social or legal contexts. Gained prominence after a 2019 traffic incident in Japan.

あの政せい治じ家かはまるで上じょう級きゅう国こく民みんのように振ふる舞まっている。
That politician acts as if he were a member of the elite.
上じょう級きゅう国こく民みんだけが得とくをする社しゃ会かいはおかしい。
A society where only the privileged class benefits is wrong.

See all 3 example sentences ›

Kanji

上above, up
級class, rank, grade
国country
民people, nation, subjects

Related words

エリート
エリート is a neutral term for elite individuals based on ability or status, while 上級国民 is a sarcastic, colloquial label implying unfair privilege.
特とっ権けん階かい級きゅう
特権階級 is a formal term for a privileged class, whereas 上級国民 is a slangy, often critical expression used in everyday conversation.

Opposites

下か級きゅう国こく民みん
low-class citizen; second-class citizen

Built from

上じょう級きゅう+国こく民みん

Etymology

Compound of 上級 (high class) and 国民 (citizen). The term became widely known in Japan around 2019 after a high-profile traffic accident involving a government official, used sarcastically to criticize perceived preferential treatment.