至し上じょう

し

じょ

う

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

Often used in compounds like 至上主義 (supremacism) or as a no-adjective meaning 'the highest' or 'ultimate'. Slightly formal.

彼かれは芸げい術じゅつ至し上じょうの人じん生せいを送おくった。
He lived a life devoted to art above all else.
安あん全ぜんは至し上じょうの課か題だいです。
Safety is the paramount issue.

See all 13 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

至し上じょうの〈物もの〉the supreme/ultimate ~ (of a feeling, value, etc.)
彼かれにとって家か族ぞくとの時じ間かんは至し上じょうの喜よろこびだった。
For him, time with his family was the supreme joy.
〈物もの〉を至し上じょうとするto treat/regard something as supreme or paramount
その会かい社しゃは効こう率りつを至し上じょうとする経けい営えい方ほう針しんをとっている。
That company follows a management policy that treats efficiency as paramount.

Kanji

至climax, arrive, proceed
上above, up

Related words

最さい高こうN3
最高 is the common, everyday word for 'the best/highest', while 至上 is more formal and often implies an absolute, ultimate principle rather than a mere superlative.
最さい上じょうN1
最上 and 至上 are both formal terms for 'the highest', but 最上 is used for rankings or grades (最上級) while 至上 stresses an unconditional, supreme value or principle.
至し高こう
至上 means 'supremacy' or 'top priority' as in 至上命令, while 至高 focuses on the quality of being sublime or supreme rather than priority.

Don't confuse with

市し場じょうN2
市場 (market) shares the same pronunciation しじょう with 至上 (supreme) but is a completely unrelated economic term.
史し上じょうN1
史上 (in history, as in 史上最高) is a homophone of 至上 but means 'in the annals of history' rather than 'supreme'.

Word family

至し上じょう権けん
supremacy; sovereignty
至し上じょう神しん
supreme deity
至し上じょう主しゅ義ぎ
supremacism; principle of putting something above all else
至し上じょう命めい令れい
supreme command; absolute order; unconditional command
至し上じょう要よう求きゅう
overriding necessity; absolute requirement; absolute must
白はく人じん至し上じょう主しゅ義ぎ者しゃ
white supremacist

Etymology

From the kanji 至 (reach, arrive) and 上 (above, upper), literally 'reaching the top'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the compound has been used in formal and philosophical contexts to denote ultimate supremacy.