Meaning of 上演
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to screen (a movie)
- to stage (a play)
- a screening
- a staging
How to use 上演
上演 is used for plays, operas, and films being put on for an audience. It also appears in news writing to describe real events "playing out," like a dramatic match or a conflict. Example: 这部话剧下个月上演。(Zhè bù huàjù xià gè yuè shàngyǎn.) This play will be staged next month.
上 (shàng) means to go up, and 演 (yǎn) means to perform. When a show goes up onto the stage or screen, it is 上演.
Common mistake: Learners often use 上演 for an actor's own performance, but that is 表演 (biǎoyǎn) or 演 (yǎn). 上演 describes the show being put on, not a person acting. Also, 演 is third tone, so do not say shàngyàn.
上演 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
上 shàng · up · 3 strokes
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演 yǎn · to perform · 14 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 上演.
| 马上 | mǎshàng | at once; right away |
| 晚上 | wǎnshang | evening; night |
| 身上 | shēnshang | on the body; at hand |
| 早上 | zǎoshang | early morning |
| 上次 | shàng cì | last time |
| 路上 | lùshang | on the road; on the way; en route |
| 上班 | shàngbān | to go to work; to be on duty |
| 上车 | shàng chē | to get on or into (a bus, train, car etc) |
| 地上 | dìshang | on the ground; on the floor |
| 楼上 | lóu shàng | upstairs; (Internet slang) previous poster in a forum thread |
| 车上 | chē shang | |
| 上学 | shàngxué | to go to school; to attend school |
Questions about 上演
What does 上演 mean?
上演 (shàngyǎn) means "to screen (a movie); to stage (a play)" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 上演?
上演 is made of 2 characters: 上 (3 strokes), 演 (14 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 上演 an HSK word?
Yes. 上演 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 上演 and 上映?
上映 (shàngyìng) is used only for films being released or shown in cinemas. 上演 works for stage shows and can also be used for films, but it is most typical for plays and performances.
Can 上演 be used figuratively?
Yes. Media often say a scene or contest 上演 to mean it happened in a dramatic way, for example 比赛上演了大逆转 (the match saw a big comeback). It suggests the event unfolded like a show.