〜うえに

〜うえに is a conjunction meaning on top of / in addition to, used to connect clauses and express logical relationships between ideas. Japanese has a rich set of conjunctions that convey subtle differences in meaning — contrast, cause, concession, addition — and using them correctly makes your Japanese flow naturally.

This is an advanced pattern found primarily in formal writing, news articles, business Japanese, and academic texts.

When to Use#

• When piling on additional information (often compounding a situation)
• When something is added on top of an already existing condition

When NOT to Use#

• In very casual speech — a simpler expression is usually more natural

Example Sentences#

• 彼は若いうえに、才能も豊かです。 — He is young and, on top of that, very talented.
• 彼は頭がいいうえに、心も優しいです。 — He is intelligent and, on top of that, has a kind heart.
• 仕事が厳しいうえに、給料も安いです。 — The job is demanding and, on top of that, the salary is low.

Practice#

Try reading these sentences aloud, then check the translation and vocabulary:

Common Mistakes#

1. Using 〜うえに in casual conversation — This pattern sounds overly formal or literary in casual speech. Reserve it for formal writing, presentations, or situations that call for elevated language.
2. Direct translation from English — The concept expressed by 〜うえに may not map one-to-one with its English translation. Focus on understanding the Japanese usage through example sentences rather than relying on the English gloss.

Related Patterns#

• 〜ので (because / since) — Next step