阶 (jiē) - step & stair

阶Tone 1

jiē ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 阝

健傑

阶 · jiē

step;

stair;

rank;

level;

stage;

degree

stepstairrank

Usage highlights

stepsrank/levelstage/phasedegree/levelladderescalator

Synonyms

  • 级— level, rank
  • 层— layer, level
  • 段— stage, segment

Antonyms

  • 平— flat, level
  • 等— equal, same

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Walk up the stairs (台阶).
  • He was promoted to a higher rank (晋升到更高阶层).
  • This is an important stage (重要阶段).
  • The price is reasonable (价格合理).

Collocations

  • steps(台阶)
  • rank/level(阶层)
  • stage/phase(阶段)
  • degree/level(阶级)
  • ladder(阶梯)
  • escalator(自动扶梯)

Idioms

  • Step by step(循序渐进)
  • Ascend step by step(拾级而上)
  • Different social classes(不同阶层)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to stone steps or stairs in architecture.
  • Extended metaphorically to social hierarchy and progression stages.
  • In modern usage, often appears in contexts of social stratification and career advancement.

FAQ