上(うえ)に (ue ni)
~上に — “in addition to ~ / on top of that”
Pattern
-
動詞・い形容詞 普通形+上にplain form + 上に (e.g. 広い上に, 混んでいた上に) -
な形容詞(な)/名詞(の)+上に静かな上に, 雨の上に
Adding on
A上にB means “A is the case, and on top of that B too.” 広い上に、明るい: spacious, and bright as well. A and B are usually the same kind of evaluation (both positive or both negative).
Connection
Plain form of verbs and い-adjectives: 安い上に, 降った上に. な-adjectives take な: 便利な上に. Nouns take の: 雨の上に. Both past and non-past can be used.
Similar expressions
~だけでなく~も is the plain version. ~上に is slightly formal and often used for reasons or evaluations. Adding ~まで (as in 雨まで降ってきた) strengthens the “even worse” feeling.
Examples
-
この部屋(へや)は広(ひろ)い上(うえ)に、明(あか)るい。
Kono heya wa hiroi ue ni, akarui.
This room is spacious, and on top of that, bright.
-
今日(きょう)は道(みち)が混(こ)んでいた上(うえ)に、雨(あめ)まで降(ふ)ってきた。
Kyou wa michi ga konde ita ue ni, ame made futte kita.
Today the roads were crowded, and on top of that it started to rain.
-
この仕事(しごと)は給料(きゅうりょう)が安(やす)い上(うえ)に、休(やす)みも少(すく)ない。
Kono shigoto wa kyuuryou ga yasui ue ni, yasumi mo sukunai.
This job pays little, and in addition there are few days off.
Common mistakes
- Do not mix good and bad: “cheap, and also the quality is bad” is unnatural with 上に. Keep A and B in the same direction.
- Do not confuse 上に with 上で (“after ~”). They have different meanings.
More grammar points
- ばよかった ~ばよかった — I should have ~, if only I had ~
- ばかりで ~ばかりで — only ~ (and nothing else, with a negative feeling)
- ばかりでなく ~ばかりでなく — not only ~ but also ~
- だけでなく ~だけでなく — not only ~ but also ~
- だけど だけど — but, however (casual)
- ふりをする ~ふりをする — pretending to ~
- 一方(いっぽう)だ ~一方だ — keeps ~ing in one direction
- 一体(いったい) 一体 — what on earth ~ (emphasizing a question)
- じゃない ~じゃない — isn't it ~! (surprise or confirmation)
- か何(なに)か ~か何か — ~ or something
- 代(か)わりに ~代わりに — instead of ~, in return for ~
- 結局(けっきょく) 結局 — in the end, after all
- きり ~きり — only ~; ever since ~
- っけ ~っけ — was it ~? (recalling)
- ことになっている ~ことになっている — it is the rule or plan that ~
- ことは~が ~ことは~が — it is true that ~, but ~
- くせに ~くせに — even though ~ (with reproach)
- も~ば~も A も ~ば B も ~ — both A and B
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