Definition
上手 (shǎng) is a noun referring to the seat of honor on the left (in traditional Chinese seating, the left side is superior) or, by extension, a predecessor, superior, or the next player in a game. Note that the standard pronunciation for the verb sense ('to start, to handle') is shàng shǒu; this row covers only noun usages with the colloquial tone sandhi shǎng.
noun
seat of honorleft-hand seat (in a seating arrangement)predecessorsuperiornext player in a turn-based game
Examples
- 上手。Tā zuò zài shǎng de wèizhi.He sits in the seat of honor.
- 上手。shǎng shì gōngsī de qiánrèn jīnglǐ.The predecessor is the company's former manager.
- 上手。Lún dào shǎng le.It's the next player's turn.
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