上級
じょうきゅう · joukyuu · JLPT N2 · noun
degree
🏔️ 上 = up + 級 = grade: moving up a grade means advanced level
上 means up or high, and 級 means class or rank. Together they name a high rank, the level above the ordinary grade.
上 — horizontal line above a baseline
上 is an indicative character (指事): a short stroke placed above a longer reference line shows the concept of 'above' or 'up'. The earliest oracle-bone forms used two horizontal lines for this; the modern shape added a vertical stroke for clarity. The core meaning of 'upper, above, to ascend' has stayed stable for millennia.