上流階級

• Reading: じょうりゅうかいきゅう
• Romaji: jouryuukaikyuu
• Kanji breakdown: 上 (jou) — upper, above; 流 (ryuu) — stream, class; 階 (kai) — floor, rank; 級 (kyuu) — class, grade
• Pronunciation: /dʑoː.ɾʲɯː.ka.i.kʲɯː/

Meaning

Upper class; upper echelons of society; the elite. Refers to the highest social or economic stratum.

A compound noun combining 上流 (upper stream/class) and 階級 (class/rank). Used in sociology, history, and everyday conversation to describe wealthy, powerful, or aristocratic segments of society. Functions as a noun or no-adjective (上流階級の暮らし — upper-class lifestyle). The counterparts are 中流階級 (middle class) and 下流階級 (lower class).

Examples

1. その小説は上流階級の生活を描いている。 That novel depicts the lives of the upper class.
2. 上流階級の子どもたちは幼い頃から礼儀を学ぶ。 Upper-class children learn manners from a very young age.
3. 彼女は上流階級の出身だが飾らない性格だ。 She comes from an upper-class background but has an unpretentious personality.

Usage Guide

Context: sociology, history, literature

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 上流 (upper stream, metaphorically 'upper ranks') and 階級 (class, rank). 上流 uses the river metaphor — those at the top of society are 'upstream.' The term became prominent in Meiji-era Japan as Western sociological concepts were imported.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal