（在）……上
Meaning
上 is a locality noun used after another noun.
Besides “on the surface of something”, it also expresses “in terms of”, “regarding”, or “in a certain aspect”.
It often appears in the pattern 在……上.
1. Referring to location
在 + Noun + 上 → on
书在桌子上
猫在椅子上
2. Referring to an aspect or field
In this usage 上 means “in terms of”, “regarding”, or “in the area of”.
在 + Noun + 上
今天的作业是复习生词，明天课上听写
Here 课上 means “in class”.
你觉得北方和南方在饮食上有什么不同？
Here 在饮食上 means “in terms of diet”.
两个人共同生活，不仅需要浪漫的爱情，更需要性格上互相吸引
Here 性格上 means “in terms of personality”.
Common expressions
| ……上 | → |
|---|---|
| 学习上 | in studies |
| 工作上 | at work |
| 生活上 | in daily life |
| 经济上 | economically |
| 思想上 | in thinking |
| 技术上 | technically |
| 语言上 | in terms of language |
Quick rule
在 + Noun + 上
→ on (location) → in terms of / regarding / in the area of
上 does not always mean “on”.
It often means “in terms of”, “regarding”, or “with respect to”.