HSK 7
尚
shàng
尚
Explanation
尚 (shàng) is an adverb (a word that modifies a verb/adjective) meaning 'still' or 'yet', often combined with a negative word to form 'still not yet'. It is a classical usage that survives in modern Chinese.
尚 (shàng) + 无/未/需/待 ... (e.g. 尚无 shàng wú = still without; 尚需 shàng xū = still requires). 尚 often pairs with function words (words that carry only a grammatical function) of a written flavor such as 无 (wú, without), 未 (wèi, not yet), 待 (dài, to await).
used only in formal/written usage (books and documents), with a classical/literary tone (an archaic, formal usage). In everyday speech one uses 还 (hái) or 还没 (hái méi).
尚 (shàng) = 还 (hái, still) but much more formal; 尚 typically combines with monosyllabic written-style function words (尚无, 尚需), whereas 还 is used freely in colloquial speech (还没有).
using 尚 in everyday spoken sentences (it sounds very stiff); and combining 尚 with a colloquial negative such as 没有 (wrong: 尚没有进展) instead of 尚无进展.
Examples
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Practice
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Learn “尚” effectively
The grammar point “尚” (尚) is one of the key structures at HSK 7. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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