上位ビット

English translation: higher bits / high-order bits / upper-bits / most significant bit

08:29 May 24, 2010
Japanese to English translations [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Computers: Hardware
Japanese term or phrase: 上位ビット
Which is the correct translation of "上位ビット,"
"Upper bit" or "Higher bit" ?
hkobayashi
English translation:higher bits / high-order bits / upper-bits / most significant bit
Explanation:
It basically means 'higher digit' in binary numbers.
For example, if you have a binary number;

10110100

Digits toward left are the "higher bits" or "high-order bits" (上位ビット) with left-most '1' being the "most significant bit" (msb - 最上位ビット).

Similarly, digits toward right are the "lower bits" or "low-order bits" (下位ビット) with right-most '0' being the "least significant bit" (lsb - 最下位ビット).

In general, direct translation of "上位ビット" is "higher bits" or "high-order bits", but people occasionally refer to the "most significant bit" as "上位ビット" as well. Depends on the context I guess.

"upper bits" is also correct though. It's just that I learnt it as "higher" back in Uni, but I guess people call it all sort of ways.

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Note added at 6 days (2010-05-31 02:58:59 GMT)
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Hi hkobayashi.

Jumping to the conclusion, I believe it would be alright to unify the expression to either one of them as that's how it was back in Uni when I was studying IT, and I personally prefer "higher" over "upper". However, you may use both depending on the context if you prefer that too.

Okay... this is just my personal opinion;

"higher" can be interpretted as "高い" or "上位", meaning that, it would include all the bits that are higher than what you are referring to. (e.g. A got higher score than B => A は B より高い点数を獲得した... this can be just by 1 point or 100s of points)

Whereas, "upper" can be interpretted as "上の" or "上級", meaning that, it may refer to bits that are at totally different level. (e.g. A is upper class than B => A は B よりも上層階級だ... in this case, A and B have totally different living standard)
Selected response from:

gamemov
Australia
Local time: 07:24
Grading comment
I deeply appreciate your explanation.
We say "high score," but seldom say "upper score."
Even though they are close in meaning, they have different concept.
I understand the concept of "upper" and "higher."
ありがとうございました。
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4higher bits / high-order bits / upper-bits / most significant bit
gamemov
Summary of reference entries provided
More info available if you search the archives
KathyT
FYI
cinefil
most significant bit/high-order bit
V N Ganesh

  

Answers


1 day 19 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
higher bits / high-order bits / upper-bits / most significant bit


Explanation:
It basically means 'higher digit' in binary numbers.
For example, if you have a binary number;

10110100

Digits toward left are the "higher bits" or "high-order bits" (上位ビット) with left-most '1' being the "most significant bit" (msb - 最上位ビット).

Similarly, digits toward right are the "lower bits" or "low-order bits" (下位ビット) with right-most '0' being the "least significant bit" (lsb - 最下位ビット).

In general, direct translation of "上位ビット" is "higher bits" or "high-order bits", but people occasionally refer to the "most significant bit" as "上位ビット" as well. Depends on the context I guess.

"upper bits" is also correct though. It's just that I learnt it as "higher" back in Uni, but I guess people call it all sort of ways.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 days (2010-05-31 02:58:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Hi hkobayashi.

Jumping to the conclusion, I believe it would be alright to unify the expression to either one of them as that's how it was back in Uni when I was studying IT, and I personally prefer "higher" over "upper". However, you may use both depending on the context if you prefer that too.

Okay... this is just my personal opinion;

"higher" can be interpretted as "高い" or "上位", meaning that, it would include all the bits that are higher than what you are referring to. (e.g. A got higher score than B => A は B より高い点数を獲得した... this can be just by 1 point or 100s of points)

Whereas, "upper" can be interpretted as "上の" or "上級", meaning that, it may refer to bits that are at totally different level. (e.g. A is upper class than B => A は B よりも上層階級だ... in this case, A and B have totally different living standard)


    Reference: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9C%80%E4%B8%8A%E4%BD%8D%E3%...
gamemov
Australia
Local time: 07:24
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
I deeply appreciate your explanation.
We say "high score," but seldom say "upper score."
Even though they are close in meaning, they have different concept.
I understand the concept of "upper" and "higher."
ありがとうございました。
Notes to answerer
Asker: Thank you for your explanation. I am revising the document other translation company made before. In this document, "upper - bits" and "higher - bits" were mixed, and I was confused. Is it OK to unify the expression to the one with more number?

Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)
The asker has declined this answer
Comment: I deeply appreciate your explanation.
We say "high score," but seldom say "upper score."
Even though they are close in meaning, they have different concept.
I understand the concept of "upper" and "higher."
ありがとうございました。




Reference comments


6 mins
Reference: More info available if you search the archives

Reference information:
Similar Qs have been asked in the past:
http://proz.com/kudoz/2728427
http://proz.com/kudoz/2129767
good luck!

KathyT
Australia
Native speaker of: English
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 mins
Reference: FYI

Reference information:
上位1bit
2008年7月30日 ... (KudoZ) 日本語 から 英語 translation of 上位1bit [テレコミュニケーション (技術/ 工学)]. ... However, 上位2ビット (uppermost/upper/high order 2 bits) is not equal to 上位2ビット目 (second uppermost bit, 2nd bit from left, ...
jpn.proz.com › ... › テレコミュニケーション - キャッシュ - 類似ページ
上位1ビット目
2007年9月9日 ... (KudoZ) 日本語 から 英語 translation of 上位1ビット目 [IT(情報テクノロジー) ( 技術/工学)]. ... 賛成, Yuki Okada: MSB is the word for 上位1ビット目. But if you translate the whole sentense, I would do it like you and ...
jpn.proz.com › ... › 日本語 から 英語 › IT(情報テクノロジー) - キャッシュ
最上位のビット-英語翻訳-bab.la辞書
http://www5b.biglobe.ne.jp/~kouta_y/news/newsvba/vba19/newsv...

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Note added at 12 mins (2010-05-24 08:41:59 GMT)
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http://blog.highorderbit.com/2009/01/27/whats-a-high-order-b...

cinefil
Japan
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in JapaneseJapanese
PRO pts in category: 12
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

6 hrs
Reference: most significant bit/high-order bit

Reference information:
This is one reason why "msb" is often used to designate the high-order bit instead of a bit number (which has greater potential for confusion). ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_significant_bit

V N Ganesh
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
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