階 (jiē) - Step, stairs, rank, level & refers to steps, stairs, or hierarchical levels in

階Tone 1

jiē ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

健傑

階 · jiē

Step, stairs, rank, level;

refers to steps, stairs, or hierarchical levels in society or organizations.

Step, stairs, rank, levelrefers to steps, stairs, or hierarchical levels in

Usage highlights

StepsRank/gradeSocial stratumHighLowStaircase

Synonyms

  • 級— level, rank, grade
  • 層— layer, level, stratum

Antonyms

  • 平— flat, level, equal (antonym to hierarchical 'rank')

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Climbing the stone steps (石階).
  • He was promoted to a higher rank (晉升到更高階級).
  • The social hierarchy was strict (社會階層分明).
  • This is a high-end product (這是高階產品).

Collocations

  • Steps(台階)
  • Rank/grade(階級)
  • Social stratum(社會階層)
  • High-level(高階)
  • Low-level(低階)
  • Staircase(樓梯階)

Idioms

  • Step by step(按部就班)
  • Advance step by step(循序漸進)
  • Promotion in rank and increase in salary(加官晉階)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese society, the concept of '階級' (social class) was deeply ingrained, influenced by Confucian hierarchy.
  • The character appears in terms related to military and official rankings, reflecting historical bureaucratic systems.
  • Architecturally, steps (階) often symbolized transition and ascent in temples, palaces, and gardens.

FAQ