'Shàng kè' literally combines 'shàng' (to go up, to attend) and 'kè' (class, lesson), forming a compound verb meaning 'to attend class' or 'to have a class'. It refers to the act of participating in an organized teaching session—whether in school, university, or other formal learning settings. Unlike the noun 'kè' alone, 'shàng kè' emphasizes the active process of being present and engaged as a student.

This verb is commonly used in daily academic contexts: students say 'wǒ yào shàng kè' ('I need to attend class'), teachers might announce 'xià ge xīngqī kāishǐ shàng kè' ('classes start next week'), and schedules list 'shàng kè shíjiān' ('class time'). It’s neutral in register—appropriate for both spoken and written Chinese—and almost always appears with a subject (e.g., 'tā', 'wǒmen') and often with time or location complements.