以上 / 以下 (and above / and below) · 级别 / 数目 + 以上 / 以下
One more visitor, or two?
- A fictional room notice says 三十人以下，包括三十人。 — thirty people or fewer, including thirty. There are twenty-nine people inside.
- One more person reaches the limit. Two more make thirty-one: beyond this notice’s allowed range.
One more visitor, or two?
- A fictional room notice says thirty三十person人and below以下，to comprise包括thirty三十person人。 — thirty people or fewer, including thirty. There are twenty-nine people inside.
- One more person reaches the limit. Two more make thirty-one: beyond this notice’s allowed range.
A sign gives a capacity limit of thirty, including thirty. What does 三十人以下，包括三十人。 communicate?
The explicitly stated allowed range includes thirty and smaller numbers. 以上 and 以下 commonly include the boundary, but a real notice may define it explicitly. Do not confuse 三十人以下 with 不到三十人, which excludes thirty.
Put the unit before the range word
- Use number + unit + 以上 / 以下: 十八岁以上 — eighteen years old and above; 三十人以下 — thirty people and below.
- In the age example, 才能 makes the age a required condition. It does not tell us whether every other entry condition is satisfied.
eighteen十八years岁and above以上only then才can能watch看。
Put the unit before the range word
- Use number + unit + and above以上 / and below以下: 十八岁and above以上 — eighteen years old and above; thirty三十person人and below以下 — thirty people and below.
- In the age example, only then can / only if can (context)才能 makes the age a required condition. It does not tell us whether every other entry condition is satisfied.
eighteen十八years岁and above以上only then才can能watch看。
Using the lesson pattern in this demonstrated example: 18 and over may watch: 十八岁 ____ 才能看。
Number + 以上 = and above: 十八岁以上. · 数目 + 以上 = ……以上:十八岁以上。
Separate an included limit from a strict one
- Our notice explicitly includes thirty. 不到三十人 — fewer than thirty people — excludes thirty; 超过三十人 — more than thirty — also excludes thirty.
- For whole people, the largest count below thirty is twenty-nine. Read a notice’s explicit definition before deciding whether its endpoint is included.
Separate an included limit from a strict one
- Our notice explicitly includes thirty. less than / under (this range)不到thirty三十person人 — fewer than thirty people — excludes thirty; more than / exceeds超过thirty三十person人 — more than thirty — also excludes thirty.
- For whole people, the largest count below thirty is twenty-nine. Read a notice’s explicit definition before deciding whether its endpoint is included.
A notice explicitly says 三十人以下，包括三十人. Which range is allowed?
The notice includes thirty explicitly. 不到三十人 instead excludes thirty.
The notice includes a maximum of thirty people. Twenty-nine are inside. What is the largest number of additional people allowed?
Thirty minus twenty-nine is one. Two additional people would make thirty-one.
Keep the number and unit together
- 十八岁以上，包括十八岁 includes age eighteen in this fictional clip rule. It does not mean eighteen people, or under eighteen.
- 三十元以下，包括三十元 sets a money limit. The same number with 人 sets a headcount limit: units change what is counted.
Keep the number and unit together
- 十八岁and above以上，to comprise包括十八岁 includes age eighteen in this fictional clip rule. It does not mean eighteen people, or under eighteen.
- 三十元and below以下，to comprise包括三十元 sets a money limit. The same number with person人 sets a headcount limit: units change what is counted.
以上 / 以下 attach after the number or level. · 以上 / 以下 接在数目或级别之后。
Yes — 十八岁以上, 三十人以下. · 对 —— 十八岁以上、三十人以下。
The original notice includes thirty people. With twenty-nine inside, two more people stay within the limit.
Twenty-nine plus two is thirty-one, beyond thirty.
A different sign says 不到三十人. What is the largest whole-person count below thirty?
不到 excludes thirty. With whole people, the next smaller count is twenty-nine.
Recalculate when the notice changes
- A new notice says 二十五人以下，包括二十五人. With twenty-four people inside, one more fits; two more do not.
- The old thirty-person answer cannot be reused. Identify the new limit, whether it is included, and the current count.
Recalculate when the notice changes
- A new notice says 二十五person人and below以下，to comprise包括二十五person人. With twenty-four people inside, one more fits; two more do not.
- The old thirty-person answer cannot be reused. Identify the new limit, whether it is included, and the current count.
A new notice includes a maximum of twenty-five people. Twenty-four are inside. Can two more enter under this limit?
Twenty-four plus two is twenty-six, beyond twenty-five. Only one more reaches the included endpoint.
Make a decision from the full notice
- For the original inclusive thirty-person notice, compare the final count with thirty: twenty-nine plus one is allowed; twenty-nine plus two is not.
- 以上 / 以下 give a range. They do not establish whether a room is open, a ticket is available, or another condition is met.
Read the full reference: HSK 5 grammar.
Make a decision from the full notice
- For the original inclusive thirty-person notice, compare the final count with thirty: twenty-nine plus one is allowed; twenty-nine plus two is not.
- and above以上 / and below以下 give a range. They do not establish whether a room is open, a ticket is available, or another condition is met.
Read the full reference: HSK 5 grammar.