previous player in a game; upstream supplier
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 6 examplesnoun
the previous player in a game (the player whose turn comes immediately before yours)
In Chinese card games like Mahjong (麻将) or Dou Dizhu (斗地主), play typically moves counter-clockwise, so your 上家 sits to your right and plays before you. The term can also take the erhua suffix: 上家儿 (shàng jiā r).
Wǒ我
de的
shàng上
jiā家
chū出
le了
yī一
zhāng张
hóng红
táo桃
KK
。
The player before me played a king of hearts.
Tā他
shì是
wǒ我
de的
shàng上
jiā家
，
wǒ我
shì是
tā他
de的
xià下
jiā家
。
He is the player before me, and I am the player after him.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Lún轮
dào到
shàng上
jiā家
zhì掷
tóu骰
zi子
le了
。
It's the previous player's turn to roll the dice.
noun
supplier; upstream business partner; the party one buys from
Refers to the upstream entity in a supply chain from whom one purchases goods. The opposite is 下家 (the downstream buyer or customer).
Wǒ我
men们
gōng公
sī司
de的
shàng上
jiā家
tí提
gāo高
le了
chū出
chǎng厂
jià价
。
Our company's supplier raised the ex-factory price.
Tā他
shì是
zuò做
pī批
fā发
yè业
wù务
de的
，
shàng上
jiā家
shì是
yī一
jiā家
dà大
xíng型
gōng工
chǎng厂
。
He runs a wholesale business, and his upstream supplier is a large factory.
Show 1 more exampleShow fewer examples
Nǐ你
xū需
yào要
xiān先
què确
dìng定
shàng上
jiā家
，
cái才
néng能
tán谈
xià下
jiā家
。
You need to confirm your supplier first before you can talk to your buyers.