to rise; to go up; to ascend
上 (shǎng) · 3 strokes
Originally a small line or dot above a longer line, indicating "up". The vertical line was added to distinguish the character from 二 (two). Opposite of 下.
升 (shēng) · 4 strokes
Pictograph of a spoon with something inside it. Spoons are used to lift things up.