上海

Shànghǎi

Shanghai

我住在上海。

I live in Shanghai.

formal

A major city in China, also a direct-administered municipality and economic hub.

上海是中国的经济中心。

Shanghai is China's economic center.

上海有很多著名的景点，比如外滩和东方明珠。

Shanghai has many famous attractions, such as the Bund and the Oriental Pearl Tower.

上海 (Shànghǎi) literally means 'Upon-the-Sea' in Classical Chinese, reflecting its historical maritime significance.

Collocations

上海人Shanghainese (person)上海话Shanghainese dialect上海浦东Pudong, Shanghai上海外滩The Bund, Shanghai

Pro Tip

Pronunciation Tip

The tone for '上' is the fourth tone (shàng), and '海' is the third tone (hǎi). The two tones combine to form a rising-falling tone (上声 + 上声 → 上声).

Gold Rule

Capitalization

Always capitalize 'Shanghai' in English as it is a proper noun.

Word Origin

From Classical Chinese 上 (shàng, 'upon') + 海 (hǎi, 'sea'), referring to its location at the mouth of the Yangtze River Delta.

Usage Notes

上海 is a proper noun and should always be capitalized in English. It is often used in formal contexts (e.g., business, tourism) and is widely recognized internationally.

Word Breakdown

上

upon/upper

root

海

sea

root

汉英词典

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