上様

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
上	様
あがり Grade: 1	さま Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
上樣 (kyūjitai)

For pronunciation and definitions of 上様 – see the following entry: 上がり様

(The following entry is uncreated: 上がり様.)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
上	様
あげ Grade: 1	さま Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
上樣 (kyūjitai)

For pronunciation and definitions of 上様 – see the following entry: 上げ様

(The following entry is uncreated: 上げ様.)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
上	様
うえ Grade: 1	さま Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
上樣 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 上 (ue, “up, above”) +‎ 様 (-sama, honorific suffix).

Cited to texts from the late 1300s.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) うえさま [úꜜèsàmà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• (Tokyo) うえさま [ùéꜜsàmà] (Nakadaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟e̞sa̠ma̠]

Noun

上(うえ)様(さま) • (uesama) ^{←うへさま (ufesama)?}

1. [from late 1300s] (honorific, address) form of address or reference for an emperor, shogun, or other individual of high social status: noble superior, Majesty, Highness, lordship
   • 2006 November 7, Hideaki Sorachi, “第(だい)百(ひゃく)二(に)十(じゅう)八(はち)訓(くん)　運(うん)に身(み)分(ぶん)は関(かん)係(けい)ない [Lesson 128: Luck Has Nothing to Do with Social Status]”, in 銀(ぎん)魂(たま) [Silver Soul], volume 15 (fiction), Tokyo: Shueisha, →ISBN:

     …銀(ぎん)サン　今(いま)…上(うえ)様(さま)ってきこえませんでした

     …Gin-san ima…Ue-sama tte kikoemasen deshita

     …Gin-san, just now… I think I heard him say Ue-sama

     きこえたな…いや　でもまさか　ねェ　今(いま)　上(うえ)様(さま)って…

     Kikoeta na…Iya demo masaka Nē ima Ue-sama tte…

     I heard it too… But it can’t be. Hey, did he just say Ue-sama…

     んなわけないでしょ　どうして　天(てん)下(か)の将(しょう)軍(ぐん)様(さま)が　こんなキャバクラに来(く)るの　さぁ　どうぞ上(うえ)様(さま)こちらですぅ

     Nna wakenai desho Dōshite tenka no shōgun-sama ga konna kyabakura ni kuruno Sā dōzo Ue-sama kochira desū

     No way. Why would the shōgun ever come to this cabaret? Ue-sama, please come this way

     いや　今(いま)　お前(まえ)も上(うえ)様(さま)って言(い)ったろ

     Iya ima omae mo Ue-sama tte ittaro

     But you just said Ue-sama, too

     上(うえ)様(さま)なんてよくある名(な)前(まえ)アル　領(りょう)収(しゅう)書(しょ)なんてほとんど上(うえ)様(さま)ネ

     Ue-sama nante yoku aru namae aru Ryōshūsho nante hotondo Ue-sama ne

     Ue-sama is a common name, eh? Most receipts are addressed to Ue-sama

     いや　でも

     Iya demo

     Yeah, but

     上(うえ)杉(すぎ)さんとかきき間(ま)違(ちが)えたのではないか

     Uesugi-san toka kiki machigaeta no de wa nai ka

     Maybe you misheard it for Uesugi-san or something?

2. (honorific, address) form of address or reference in formal correspondence: sir or madam; or in documentation, such as a receipt: valued customer (also encountered with the reading jōsama)
   • 2005 December 7, Hideaki Sorachi, “第(だい)八(はち)十(じゅう)一(いち)訓(くん)　扇(せん)風(ぷう)機(き)つけっぱなしで寝(ね)ちゃうとお腹(おか)こわしちゃうから気(き)を付(つ)けて [Lesson 81: Be Careful When Sleeping with the Fan on or You’ll Get a Stomachache]”, in 銀(ぎん)魂(たま) [Silver Soul], volume 15 (fiction), Tokyo: Shueisha, →ISBN:

     地(ち)球(きゅう)防(ぼう)衛(えい)軍(ぐん)より
     上(うえ)様(さま)へ

     Chikyū Bōeigun yori
     Ue-sama e

     From the Earth Defense Force
     Dear Sir or Madam

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
上	様
うえ Grade: 1	さま > ざま Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
上樣 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 上 (ue, “up, above”) +‎ 様 (-sama, “state, condition, way”). The sama changes to zama as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Cited to the 宇治拾遺物語 (Uji Shūi Monogatari) of the 1200s.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟e̞za̠ma̠]

Noun

上(うえ)様(ざま) • (uezama) ^{←うへざま (ufezama)?}

1. [1200s–???] (archaic, possibly obsolete) up, the upward direction

   Synonyms: 上 (ue), 上の方 (ue no hō)

   Antonyms: 下 (shita), 下の方 (shita no hō)

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
上	様
かみ Grade: 1	さま Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
上樣 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 上 (kami, “upper, above”) +‎ 様 (-sama, honorific suffix).

Cited to the 義経記 (Gikeiki) of roughly the mid-1300s.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠mʲisa̠ma̠]

Noun

上(かみ)様(さま) • (kamisama) 

1. (archaic, possibly obsolete)
2. [1300s–???] (honorific, address) form of address or reference for the wife of a daimyo, lord, or other individual of high social status: honored superior, milady

   Synonym: 奥方 (okukgata)

3. [1675–???] (honorific, address) during the Edo period, form of address or reference for a widow or elderly mother of a household of good social standing

   Synonym: (widow, dowager) 後室様 (kōshitsu-sama)

4. [1689–???] (honorific, address) during the Edo period, form of address or reference used by townsfolk for someone else's wife or mother

   Synonym: おかみさん (o-kami-san)

Usage notes

Not to be confused with 神様 (Kami-sama, “God”).

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
上	様
かみ Grade: 1	さま > ざま Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
上樣 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 上 (kami, “upper, above”) +‎ 様 (-sama, “state, condition, way”). The sama changes to zama as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Cited to 枕草子 (The Pillow Book) of roughly 1000 CE.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠mʲiza̠ma̠]

Noun

上(かみ)様(ざま) • (kamizama) 

1. [1200s–???] (archaic, possibly obsolete) up, the upward direction

   Synonyms: 上 (ue), 上の方 (ue no hō)

   Antonyms: 下様 (shimozama), 下 (shita), 下の方 (shita no hō)

Derived terms

• かみさん (kamisan)
• おかみさん (okamisan)

Etymology 7

Kanji in this term
上	様
じょう Grade: 1	さま Grade: 3
goon	kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
上樣 (kyūjitai)

Compound of 上 (jō, “top-class, the best”) +‎ 様 (sama, honorific suffix).

Likely a shift from uesama, replacing the 訓読み (kun'yomi) of ue with the 音読み (on'yomi) of jō. Possibly influenced by homophone 嬢様 (jōsama, “princess”, honorific term of reference for someone else's daughter).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) じょーさま [jóꜜòsàmà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [d͡ʑo̞ːsa̠ma̠]

Noun

上(じょう)様(さま) • (jōsama) ^{←じやうさま (zyausama)?}

1. (honorific, address) form of address or reference in formal correspondence: dear sir or madam; or in documentation, such as a receipt: valued customer (also encountered with the reading uesama)