Which pronounciation?

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Reply #1 - 2008 February 15, 11:33 am
nac_est Member
From: Italy Registered: 2006-12-12 Posts: 617 Website

顔が上下に割れるかと思ったほど大きくにっこりした
How would you read the 上下 in this sentence?
1)じょうげ
2)しょうか
3)かみしも
4)うえした

Is there a way to discriminate between the readings? Or is it just the same?
I often find I have this kind of doubts...

Reply #2 - 2008 February 16, 1:59 am
nac_est Member
From: Italy Registered: 2006-12-12 Posts: 617 Website

That sentence comes from Harry Potter 1, and while most kanji have furigana, 上下 doesn't, meaning that the reading should be obvious even to a kid. Or maybe it means that any reading is OK... I'm a bit confused!

[maybe I should worry about my English first, since I even spelled wrong the title of the thread...^^]

Reply #3 - 2008 February 16, 7:05 am
gibosi Member
Registered: 2006-09-01 Posts: 116

If Denshi Jisho  ? Online Japanese dictionary is to believed,

http://www.jisho.org/

上下 has two common readings....  うえした and じょうげ.  It seems that うえした is used only as a noun.  じょうげ is used as a noun and as a suru verb.  So if 上下 is being used as a noun, it would seem that either reading is correct.

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Reply #4 - 2008 February 16, 8:21 am
nac_est Member
From: Italy Registered: 2006-12-12 Posts: 617 Website

Thank you! I didn't know that site, I like it.
Since it looks like I'm free to choose, I'll go for じょうげ to reinforce those onyomi.

Reply #5 - 2008 February 16, 5:21 pm
wrightak Member
From: Tokyo Registered: 2006-04-07 Posts: 873 Website

I doubt that either reading is correct. I'd imagine that one will be appropriate given the context. Consulting Kenkyusha's online dictionary, the entry for じょうげ is at least 10 times as long as any of the other pronunciations. So the chances are that じょうげ is the correct reading.

うえした seems to carry the meaning of upside down quite often.

Reply #6 - 2013 March 28, 11:48 pm
Jennaiii New member
Registered: 2013-03-28 Posts: 1

Hey I know this is an old post but in case it comes for anyone else -

It is DEFINITELY じょうげ. You're not free to choose!!

Reply #7 - 2013 March 29, 7:24 am
undead_saif Member
From: Mother Earth Registered: 2009-01-28 Posts: 635

Jennaiii wrote:

Hey I know this is an old post but in case it comes for anyone else -

It is DEFINITELY じょうげ. You're not free to choose!!

May I ask why?

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