<p>Of the choices you gave, "over a thousand apples" is closest.</p>

<ol>
<li><code>exactly one thousand</code> : no, because if it was exactly one thousand you wouldn't need the 上 to denote upwards at all</li>
<li><code>over a thousand</code> : closest. 上 conveys above, when used with hundreds or thousands, typically used to convey the sense of abundance and excess of hundreds or thousands</li>
<li><code>roughly a thousand</code>: no, for same reason as #1</li>
<li><code>up to a thousand</code>: no, because if it were up to, it would be something else like jihu/nearly </li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-24T02:55:21.800Z
2015-09-24T02:55:21.800Z
clarity123
<p>In the magnitude of thousands. If I see descriptions like this, they usually exaggerate a bit for the effect, so my understanding would be more like "oh, its up to 1000, maybe in the 800-900 ballpark."</p>

<p>Edit:
Ok 上千 literally means "the figure can reach thousand". But again, such expression are more commonly used to emphasize the magnitude, so expect exaggerations.  </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-23T18:37:44.347Z
2015-09-24T03:35:43.270Z
2015-09-24T03:35:43.270Z
Siyi Deng
<p>For example:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>上千苹果</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Does that mean <em>exactly one thousand apples</em>, or <em>over a thousand apples</em>, or <em>roughly a thousand apples</em>, or <em>up to a thousand apples</em>?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-19T19:58:32.393Z
上千  thousands of，but why no CL:个,颗 for 苹果  ？
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-19T23:30:54.573Z
it depends on the context，苹果 may itself be used as a measure, esp. if ＂上千苹果＂ is used attributively （w／o 的),e.g.(?) 上千苹果亏损，for 人 this seems more familiar
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-21T06:54:38.570Z
When you want to emphasize that the quantity is a large number,you say 上千\百\万\亿. Usually, the actually number is just slightly over that. 上千苹果( maybe 1001 ~1499),if 1500, he will say 达到1500个苹果, if 1501, he will say 近两千个苹果.  Psychology.
sfy
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-09-23T17:47:20.880Z
@倪阔乐 Please define "larger numbers". When do numbers start to be considered large?
Enrico Brasil
<grammar>
What does "上千" + [something] mean?
# What does "上千" + [something] mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-09-19)

For example:

> 上千苹果

Does that mean *exactly one thousand apples*, or *over a thousand apples*, or *roughly a thousand apples*, or *up to a thousand apples*?

**Tags:** grammar
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 上千  thousands of，but why no CL:个,颗 for 苹果  ？  
> **username_1**: it depends on the context，苹果 may itself be used as a measure, esp. if ＂上千苹果＂ is used attributively （w／o 的),e.g.(?) 上千苹果亏损，for 人 this seems more familiar  
> **username_2**: When you want to emphasize that the quantity is a large number,you say 上千\百\万\亿. Usually, the actually number is just slightly over that. 上千苹果( maybe 1001 ~1499),if 1500, he will say 达到1500个苹果, if 1501, he will say 近两千个苹果.  Psychology.  
> **username_3**: @倪阔乐 Please define "larger numbers". When do numbers start to be considered large?  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2015-09-24. Score: 0

Of the choices you gave, "over a thousand apples" is closest.

1. `exactly one thousand` : no, because if it was exactly one thousand you wouldn't need the 上 to denote upwards at all
2. `over a thousand` : closest. 上 conveys above, when used with hundreds or thousands, typically used to convey the sense of abundance and excess of hundreds or thousands
3. `roughly a thousand`: no, for same reason as #1
4. `up to a thousand`: no, because if it were up to, it would be something else like jihu/nearly


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### Answer by username_5 on 2015-09-23. Score: 0

In the magnitude of thousands. If I see descriptions like this, they usually exaggerate a bit for the effect, so my understanding would be more like "oh, its up to 1000, maybe in the 800-900 ballpark."

Edit:
Ok 上千 literally means "the figure can reach thousand". But again, such expression are more commonly used to emphasize the magnitude, so expect exaggerations.


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