身上
Meanings
1
one's background; one's circumstances; one's history
Refers to a person's personal history, social standing, or life situation, often in contexts like marriage, employment, or legal matters.
They investigate the other person's background before getting married.
His circumstances are complicated, and he hesitates to talk about them.
2
one's strong point; one's asset; one's merit
Used to describe a person's valuable quality, skill, or advantage, often in a positive evaluation.
His strong point is his tenacity.
Her language skills are her asset.
Usage patterns
- 〈事〉を身上とするto make (a quality/principle) one's guiding trait or motto
He is a man who prides himself on his honesty.
- 〈人〉の身上を調べるto look into someone's personal background
Before the marriage, they looked into the other person's background.