a structure that is built on top of something, for example the upper parts of a ship or the part of a building above the ground （船舶的）上层建筑，船楼；（建筑物的）上部结构 - (formal)
the systems and beliefs in a society that have developed from more simple ones （社会的）上层建筑 the relationship between the economic base of society and the political superstructure of power 社会经济基础与权力政治上层建筑之间的关系