上(のぼ)る

のぼる
verb (godan)
to go up; to amount to; to come up (as a topic)
自動詞 intransitivemovement
Conjugation
AffirmativeNegative
Present上(のぼ)る上(のぼ)らない
Present polite上(のぼ)ります上(のぼ)りません
Past上(のぼ)った上(のぼ)らなかった
Past polite上(のぼ)りました上(のぼ)りませんでした
て form上(のぼ)って上(のぼ)らなくて
ている present上(のぼ)っている上(のぼ)っていない
ている polite上(のぼ)っています上(のぼ)っていません
ている past上(のぼ)っていた上(のぼ)っていなかった
ている past polite上(のぼ)っていました上(のぼ)っていませんでした
Conditional ば上(のぼ)れば上(のぼ)らなければ
Conditional たら上(のぼ)ったら上(のぼ)らなかったら
Volitional上(のぼ)ろう—
Volitional polite上(のぼ)りましょう—
Potential上(のぼ)れる上(のぼ)れない
Passive上(のぼ)られる上(のぼ)られない
Causative上(のぼ)らせる上(のぼ)らせない
Imperative上(のぼ)れ上(のぼ)るな
1. to go up, to rise, to ascend
For something to move upward or for a person to go to a higher place. Used more broadly than 登(のぼ)る (which focuses on climbing) — includes going upstream, traveling to the capital, or the sun rising.
階段(かいだん)を上(のぼ)る。
To go up the stairs.
坂(さか)を上(のぼ)ると神社(じんじゃ)が見(み)えてきた。
When we went up the slope, a shrine came into view.
川(かわ)を上(のぼ)って上流(じょうりゅう)の村(むら)まで行(い)った。
We went upstream to the village at the upper reaches of the river.
2. to amount to, to reach, to total
For a number, amount, or quantity to reach a specified level. Often used with large numbers to emphasize the scale.
被害額(ひがいがく)は数億円(すうおくえん)に上(のぼ)る。
The damage amounts to several hundred million yen.
参加者(さんかしゃ)は千人(せんにん)に上(のぼ)った。
The number of participants reached one thousand.
死者(ししゃ)の数(かず)は百人(ひゃくにん)以上(いじょう)に上(のぼ)ると報告(ほうこく)されている。
It has been reported that the death toll has risen to over one hundred.
3. to come up (as a topic), to be raised, to be mentioned
For a topic, issue, or name to be brought up in discussion or conversation.
会議(かいぎ)で話題(わだい)に上(のぼ)った。
It came up as a topic in the meeting.
彼(かれ)の名前(なまえ)が候補(こうほ)に上(のぼ)っている。
His name has come up as a candidate.
毎回(まいかい)の会議(かいぎ)で予算(よさん)の問題(もんだい)が議題(ぎだい)に上(のぼ)るが、なかなか結論(けつろん)が出(で)ない。
The budget issue comes up on the agenda at every meeting, but no conclusion is ever reached.

One of three common verbs read のぼる, each written with different kanji: 上(のぼ)る (general upward movement, amounts, topics), 登(のぼ)る (climbing mountains or heights), and 昇(のぼ)る (rising of celestial bodies, promotion). In practice, 上(のぼ)る is the most versatile and can substitute for the others in many cases.

Usage

For sense 2 (amounting to), the pattern is 〜に上(のぼ)る. For sense 3 (coming up as a topic), common patterns include 話題(わだい)に上(のぼ)る, 議題(ぎだい)に上(のぼ)る, and 候補(こうほ)に上(のぼ)る.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 登(のぼ)る: to climb — specifically for climbing mountains, hills, or heights
  • 昇(のぼ)る: to rise — for celestial bodies rising or career advancement
  • 上(あ)がる: to go up, to rise — intransitive; overlaps with some uses but has additional meanings like entering a house

Related Words

Related: 上(のぼ)り (ascent (noun))
Homophone: 登(のぼ)る (to climb)
Homophone: 昇(のぼ)る (to rise)
Compare: 上(あ)がる (to go up, to rise)
general
Added 2026.4.2 13:10 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
21000/21460_noboru