关上 · 关得上 · 关不上
上 after a verb: shut, fixed on, or a goal reached · 得上／不上: can / can’t manage it
Structure
动词 + 上 （+ 宾语） · 动词 + 得上／不上
What it means
上 after a verb shows that something closes, is fixed onto something else, or reaches a goal. 得上／不上 says whether that can be managed.
How it is built
Verb + 上 (+ object): 关上 shut, 安上 fit, 贴上 stick on, 穿上 put on, 考上 get into (a school): 她考上了北京大学 (She got into Peking University). Potential: 关得上 it will shut, 关不上 it won’t.
When to use it
Put 得 or 不 in the middle, as in 看得清楚／看不清楚 (h3-8), to say whether it can be done. 关上 is the action itself (把门关上); 关不上 says it can’t be done, often with 怎么也: 怎么也关不上.
Watch out
When something won’t work however hard you try, say 关不上, not 不关上 (which means “not to shut it”): ✗ 窗户坏了，不关上。 ✓ 窗户坏了，关不上。
Examples
师傅把新灯安上了。
The workman has put the new light in.
她考上了北京大学。
She got into Peking University.
窗户坏了，怎么也关不上。
The window’s broken; it just won’t shut.
这条裤子太小了，我穿不上。
These trousers are too small; I can’t get them on.
Learn this in HSK 4 · Lesson 25: 装修 (Fixing up the flat)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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