更上一層樓

更上一層樓

Chinese

		to change; more; even more to change; more; even more; further; still; still more	up; on; on top up; on; on top; upon; first; previous or last; upper; higher; above; previous; to climb; to go into; to go up	one; single; a one; single; a; (before verbs) as soon as, once; (before a noun) entire (family, etc.)	layer; floor; a measure word for layers layer; floor; a measure word for layers; laminated; repeated; story (of a building); (math.) sheaf	house with more than 1 story; storied building; floor
trad. (更上一層樓)		更	上	一	層	樓
simp. (更上一层楼)		更	上	一	层	楼
Literally: “further ascend one level of the building”.

Etymology

From the poem 登鸛雀樓 (On the Stork Tower) by 王之渙 (Wang Zhihuan).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): gèngshàngyīcénglóu

  (Zhuyin): ㄍㄥˋ ㄕㄤˋ ㄧ ㄘㄥˊ ㄌㄡˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): gang³ soeng⁵ jat¹ cang⁴ lau⁴

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• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: gèngshàngyīcénglóu [Phonetic: gèngshàngyìcénglóu]
    • Zhuyin: ㄍㄥˋ ㄕㄤˋ ㄧ ㄘㄥˊ ㄌㄡˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: gèngshàngyicénglóu
    • Wade–Giles: kêng⁴-shang⁴-i¹-tsʻêng²-lou²
    • Yale: gèng-shàng-yī-tséng-lóu
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: genqshanqitsernglou
    • Palladius: гэншанъицэнлоу (gɛnšanʺicɛnlou)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɤŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ ʂɑŋ⁵¹⁻⁵³ i⁵⁵⁻⁵¹ t͡sʰɤŋ³⁵ loʊ̯³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
    • Jyutping: gang³ soeng⁵ jat¹ cang⁴ lau⁴
    • Yale: gang séuhng yāt chàhng làuh
    • Cantonese Pinyin: gang³ soeng⁵ jat⁷ tsang⁴ lau⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: geng³ sêng⁵ yed¹ ceng⁴ leo⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɐŋ³³ sœːŋ¹³ jɐt̚⁵ t͡sʰɐŋ²¹ lɐu̯²¹/

Idiom

更上一層樓

1. (figurative) strive for a greater achievement (similar to 'take it to the next level')