实际上 (shíjìshàng) · in fact

实际上 (shíjìshàng) means “in fact; in reality; as a matter of fact”. It is written with 3 characters: 实 (real) + 际 (border) + 上 (on). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).

How 实际上 is built

The characters

实 shí · real

What 实 is made of

宀 — roof
- 丶 — dot
- 冖mì — cover
头tóu — head
- ⺀ — ice
- 大dà — big
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 人rén — person

际 jì · border

What 际 is made of

阝fù / yì (names) — mound/city side-form
- 丨 — vertical stroke
示shì — altar
- 二 — two strokes
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
- 小xiǎo — small
  - 亅 — hook
  - 八bā — eight

Origin hint: 阝 gives the meaning, 示 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

上 shàng · on

What 上 is made of

⺊ — structural part
- 丨 — vertical stroke
一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: One stroke on top of another; compare 下 (below) (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

他看上去很年轻，实际上已经五十岁了。Tā kàn shangqu hěn niánqīng, shíjìshang yǐjīng wǔshí suì le.He looks young, but in fact he's already fifty.

实际上，这个问题不难。Shíjìshang, zhège wèntí bù nán.In reality, this problem isn't hard.

Questions about 实际上

What does 实际上 mean?

实际上 (shíjìshàng) means “in fact; in reality; as a matter of fact”.

How do you pronounce 实际上?

实际上 is pronounced shíjìshàng.

Which HSK level is 实际上?

实际上 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021).

Related words

Learn 实际上 with its group

It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 56: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

Open the group