路上

• Pinyin: lù shang
• Hanzi breakdown: 路 = 足 (foot) + 各 (phonetic); 上 = on/upon

Meaning

On the road; on the way; en route. Refers to the time or space during a journey.

Can mean physically on the road surface, or more commonly, the time spent travelling from one place to another. A very useful phrase for talking about commutes and travel.

Examples

1. 路上小心！ Be careful on the road!
2. 我在路上了。 I'm on my way.
3. 路上花了一个小时。 The journey took one hour.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, everyday

Tone: caring

Do Say

• 路上注意安全。(Be safe on the road.)
• 我路上买了一杯咖啡。(I bought a coffee on the way.)

Don't Say

• 我在路上面走。(Unnatural — say 我在路上走; 路上 already includes the meaning of 'on,' don't add 面)

Origin & History

A compound of 路 (road) and 上 (on/upon), literally meaning 'on the road.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal