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階 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
階jiēstairs, steps; degree, rankx, 11 strokes, radical 阝, rank #45452, Very Hard
jiē(jie1)jie T1
  1. 1stairs, steps; degree, rank
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March 24, 2026

階jiē(jie1)

The character 階 (jiē) refers to 'stairs' or 'steps,' which can be both physical staircases and metaphorical steps in a process or hierarchy. It also signifies 'degree' or 'rank,' often used in contexts like social status or academic levels.

Strokes11Radical阝Frequency#45452DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese society, the concept of 'rank' (階) is significant, particularly in traditional contexts such as the imperial examination system, where one's degree could determine social mobility and status.

Memory tip

Imagine a staircase (階) where each step represents a different rank. The character has a visual resemblance to stairs with the horizontal lines representing the steps, and the '阜' radical suggests a hill or elevation, symbolizing the idea of ascending through ranks.

Meanings of 階

jiē(jie1)
1stairs, steps; degree, rank
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 階

階Simplified
11Strokes
阝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 階

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Podcast: 階

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AI Study Notes for 階

Quick Contrast

阶 (jiē) vs 梯 (tī) — use 階 for steps in a hierarchy or metaphorical context, while 梯 specifically refers to a ladder or physical steps.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 階 (jiē) with 梯 (tī), which also means stairs but refers to ladders or escalators. It is more formal when discussing ranks or degrees, so be cautious of context when using it. Common collocations include 階段 (jiēduàn) for 'staircase' and 職階 (zhíjiē) for 'job rank.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 階 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other HSK level words related to movement and hierarchy. Students should pay attention to its usage in both literal and figurative contexts, enhancing their understanding of social structures in Chinese.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 階 with other characters related to steps. For example, saying '我在這個階' (wǒ zài zhège jiē) instead of '我在這個階段' (wǒ zài zhège jiēduàn) to mean 'I am at this stage' is incorrect. Always ensure to use the correct term based on context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 階

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Etymology of 階

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 介 represents the sound. Simplified form of 階.

Memory hint

hill

Semantic (meaning)阝
+
Phonetic (sound)皆
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

階 = 阝 + 皆. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 階

IDS Structure⿰阝皆
階Full character
=
阝yi4
left
皆jie1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 階?

How to say stairs, steps; degree, rank in Chinese

“stairs, steps; degree, rank” in Chinese is階jiē

The character 階 (jiē) refers to 'stairs' or 'steps,' which can be both physical staircases and metaphorical steps in a process or hierarchy. It also signifies 'degree' or 'rank,' often used in contexts like social status or academic levels.

When to use 階

Common mistakes include confusing 階 (jiē) with 梯 (tī), which also means stairs but refers to ladders or escalators. It is more formal when discussing ranks or degrees, so be cautious of context when using it. Common collocations include 階段 (jiēduàn) for 'staircase' and 職階 (zhíjiē) for 'job rank.'

階 or something close to it

阶 (jiē) vs 梯 (tī) — use 階 for steps in a hierarchy or metaphorical context, while 梯 specifically refers to a ladder or physical steps.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 階 with other characters related to steps. For example, saying '我在這個階' (wǒ zài zhège jiē) instead of '我在這個階段' (wǒ zài zhège jiēduàn) to mean 'I am at this stage' is incorrect. Always ensure to use the correct term based on context.

Write 階

階

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Word Family of 階

Words containing this character20
阶段jiēduànstage階段
台阶táijiēsteps臺階
无产阶级proletariat無產階級
阶级jiējí(social) class階級
阶jiēstairs階
阶层jiēcénghierarchy階層
资产阶级the capitalist class資產階級
中产阶级middle class中產階級
阶梯jiētīflight of steps階梯
工人阶级working class工人階級
阶级斗争the class struggle階級鬥爭
现阶段at the present stage現階段
阶段性in stages階段性
音阶musical scale音階
工薪阶层salaried class工薪階層
官阶official rank官階
石阶stone step石階
剥削阶级exploiting class (in Marxist theory)剝削階級
小资产阶级petty bourgeois小資產階級
阶地terrace (geography)階地
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 階

What does 阶段 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 階

階 refers to stairs or steps in a building, while 梯 usually refers to a ladder or escalator.

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