---
title: shanghai — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «shanghai» in the school dictionary: Shanghai is a huge city on the east coast of China, one of the biggest cities in the world, with a famous river front and tall towers. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# shanghai

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Shanghai, they, it, cousin, Shanghai Tower, Lots · **What happens:** be, shanghai, force, do, not want, mean · **To what, where:** huge city, east coast, someone, them, something, sailors · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«shanghai» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [shanghai in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/shanghai.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shanghai is a huge city on the east coast of China, one of the biggest cities in the world, with a famous river front and tall towers.

<!-- fold The tree, 27 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:m1:1
# text = Shanghai is a huge city on the east coast of China, one of the biggest cities in the world, with a famous river front and tall towers.
1	Shanghai	Shanghai	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	huge	huge	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
5	city	city	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
6	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
8	east	east	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	coast	coast	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	China	China	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	9	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
13	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	5	conj	_	_
14	of	of	ADP	IN	_	17	case	_	_
15	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	17	det	_	_
16	biggest	big	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	17	amod	_	_
17	cities	city	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	13	nmod	_	_
18	in	in	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	26	punct	_	_
22	with	with	ADP	IN	_	26	case	_	_
23	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	26	det	_	_
24	famous	famous	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	26	amod	_	_
25	river	river	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	26	compound	_	_
26	front	front	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	nmod	_	_
27	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	29	cc	_	_
28	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	29	amod	_	_
29	towers	tower	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	26	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Shanghai | a huge city |  | the east coast of China |  |  | tree rules |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: old, informal — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To shanghai someone is to trick or force them into doing something they did not want to do; long ago it meant kidnapping sailors to work on ships.

<!-- fold The tree, 28 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:m2:1
# text = To shanghai someone is to trick or force them into doing something they did not want to do; long ago it meant kidnapping sailors to work on ships.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	shanghai	shanghai	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	advcl	_	_
3	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	trick	trick	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	force	force	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
9	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	8	obj	_	_
10	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	11	mark	_	_
11	doing	do	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	advcl	_	_
12	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obj	_	_
13	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	16	nsubj	_	_
14	did	do	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	16	aux	_	_
15	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	16	advmod	_	_
16	want	want	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	12	acl:relcl	_	_
17	to	to	PART	TO	_	18	mark	_	_
18	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	16	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	;	;	PUNCT	,	_	23	punct	_	_
20	long	long	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	21	advmod	_	_
21	ago	ago	ADV	RB	_	23	advmod	_	_
22	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	23	nsubj	_	_
23	meant	mean	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	parataxis	_	_
24	kidnapping	kidnap	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	23	xcomp	_	_
25	sailors	sailor	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	24	obj	_	_
26	to	to	PART	TO	_	27	mark	_	_
27	work	work	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	24	advcl	_	_
28	on	on	ADP	IN	_	29	case	_	_
29	ships	ship	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	27	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
30	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shanghai** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent someone=Theme |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | trick *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **force** | infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | vn urge-58.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent they=Recipient |
| 4 | **do** | gerund |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 5 | **not** **want** | past · do-support | they |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Pivot clause=Theme |
| 6 | **do** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | they *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 7 | **mean** | past | it |  |  |  |  | ago *property* | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 8 | **kidnap** *not said to happen* | gerund |  | sailors |  |  |  |  | vn steal-10.5 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent sailor=Theme |
| 9 | **work** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | on ships | vn employment-95.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent on ship=Theme |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shanghai is one of the biggest cities on Earth.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:x1:1
# text = Shanghai is one of the biggest cities on Earth.
1	Shanghai	Shanghai	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	0	root	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	biggest	big	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	7	amod	_	_
7	cities	city	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
8	on	on	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	Earth	Earth	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Shanghai | one |  |  |  | of the biggest cities on Earth | tree rules |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My cousin flew to Shanghai for work.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:x2:1
# text = My cousin flew to Shanghai for work.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	cousin	cousin	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	flew	fly	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	Shanghai	shanghai	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	for	for	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	work	work	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **fly** | past | My cousin |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **shanghai** | to-infinitive | My cousin *not said here* |  |  |  |  | for work | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Shanghai has one of the busiest ports in the world.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:x3:1
# text = Shanghai has one of the busiest ports in the world.
1	Shanghai	Shanghai	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	has	have	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	2	obj	_	_
4	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	busiest	busy	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	7	amod	_	_
7	ports	port	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nmod	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **have** | present | Shanghai | one of the busiest ports in the world |  |  |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Shanghai Tower is very tall.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:x4:1
# text = The Shanghai Tower is very tall.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	Shanghai	Shanghai	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	Tower	Tower	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
5	very	very	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	tall	tall	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | the Shanghai Tower |  |  |  |  | tall *property* | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
In the old story, a sailor was shanghaied onto a ship.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:x5:1
# text = In the old story, a sailor was shanghaied onto a ship.
1	In	in	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	story	story	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	4	punct	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	sailor	sailor	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	_
8	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	aux:pass	_	_
9	shanghaied	shanghai	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
10	onto	onto	ADP	IN	_	12	case	_	_
11	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	12	det	_	_
12	ship	ship	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shanghai** | past · passive |  | a sailor |  | the old story |  | onto a ship | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
I was shanghaied into helping with the washing-up!

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:x6:1
# text = I was shanghaied into helping with the washing-up!
1	I	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=1|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux:pass	_	_
3	shanghaied	shanghai	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	0	root	_	_
4	into	into	SCONJ	IN	_	5	mark	_	_
5	helping	help	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
6	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
8	washing	washing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	10	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	10	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	up	up	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	!	!	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **shanghai** | past · passive |  | I |  |  |  |  | vn banish-10.2 «NP V NP»: subject=Theme |
| 2 | **help** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | with the washing up | vn help-72.1-1-1 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent with up=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Lots of people in Shanghai speak Shanghainese as well as Mandarin.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:shanghai:x7:1
# text = Lots of people in Shanghai speak Shanghainese as well as Mandarin.
1	Lots	lot	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
2	of	of	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	nmod	_	_
4	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	Shanghai	Shanghai	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nmod	_	_
6	speak	speak	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	Shanghainese	shanghainese	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	xcomp	_	_
8	as	as	ADV	RB	ExtPos=CCONJ	11	cc	_	_
9	well	well	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	8	fixed	_	_
10	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	fixed	_	_
11	Mandarin	Mandarin	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	6	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **speak** *speech: other* | present | Lots of people in Shanghai |  |  |  |  | shanghainese *property* | vn talk-37.5 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

<!-- pn -->
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