上る

• Reading: のぼる
• Romaji: noboru
• Kanji breakdown: 上 (jou/nobo) — up, above, to ascend
• Pronunciation: /no.bo.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To ascend; to go up; to climb. Used for climbing stairs, hills, or going upstream.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb conjugated with the る ending (上って, 上った, 上ります). Similar to 登る (noboru — to climb a mountain) but 上る focuses on general upward movement: 階段を上る (go up stairs), 坂を上る (go up a slope). Also written as 昇る for celestial bodies: 日が昇る (the sun rises).

Examples

1. 毎日階段を上って会社に行きます。 I go up the stairs to get to work every day.
2. この坂を上ると学校があります。 If you go up this hill, there's a school.
3. 川を上って歩きました。 I walked upstream along the river.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, commuting, exercise

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Uses the kanji 上 (above/up), one of the simplest and most foundational kanji. As a verb reading のぼる, it emphasises the physical act of moving upward.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal