段 meaning and stroke order
Paragraph; section; segment
How to write 段, stroke by stroke
9 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Meaning of 段
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- paragraph
- section
- segment
- stage (of a process)
- classifier for stories, periods of time, lengths of thread etc
How 段 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand using a chisel 殳 to cut stone.
Radical: 殳 (tool), shared by 16 characters on this site.
How to remember 段
The right side 殳 shows a hand holding a chisel, and the left side is the stone being cut. Chiseling stone breaks it into pieces, so 段 (duàn) means a section or segment.
段 is very common as a classifier for lengths of time, stretches of road, passages of text, and stories or experiences. It also appears in words like 阶段 (jiēduàn, stage) and 手段 (shǒuduàn, means). Example: 这段时间我很忙。(Zhè duàn shíjiān wǒ hěn máng.) I have been busy during this period.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 段 (duàn) with 断 (duàn, to break) because they sound the same. 段 is a section of something, while 断 is the action of snapping or cutting off, as in 断了 (duàn le, it broke).
Common words with 段
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 阶段 | jiēduàn | stage; section | HSK 4 |
| 手段 | shǒuduàn | method; way; means (of doing sth); skill; ability | HSK 5 |
| 片段 | piànduàn | fragment (of speech etc); extract (from book etc) | HSK 7-9 |
| 时段 | shíduàn | time interval; work shift | HSK 7-9 |
| 地段 | dìduàn | section; district | HSK 7-9 |
| 段落 | duànluò | phase; time interval | HSK 7-9 |
| 路段 | lùduàn | stretch of road; section of a highway or railway | HSK 7-9 |
| 不择手段 | bùzéshǒuduàn | by fair means or foul; by hook or by crook | |
| 赛段 | sàiduàn | stage of a competition | |
| 告一段落 | gàoyīduànluò | to come to the end of a phase (idiom) | |
| 段子 | duànzi | item of storytelling or performed dialogue (folk arts); sketch | |
| 碎尸万段 | suìshīwànduàn | (idiom) to cut up sb's body into thousands of pieces (a hyperbolic threat) | |
| 桥段 | qiáoduàn | (cinema, literature etc) scene; trope | |
| 波段 | bōduàn | wave band |
段 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 段
Learning 段 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 段
How many strokes are in 段?
段 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 段 mean?
段 (duàn) means paragraph; section; segment. A common word with it is 阶段 (jiēduàn), meaning "stage; section".
How do you pronounce 段?
段 is pronounced duàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 段?
The radical of 段 is 殳, which carries the idea of "tool". Dictionaries list 段 under this radical.
Is 段 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 段 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 段 and 节 as classifiers?
Both can mean a section, but 段 is used for continuous stretches like time, road, text, or a relationship. 节 (jié) is used for units with clear joints or divisions, like a class period 一节课 (yì jié kè) or a train car.
Can 段 be used for a paragraph of writing?
Yes. 一段话 (yí duàn huà) means a passage or a few sentences, and 段落 (duànluò) is the word for a paragraph. You might hear a teacher say 读第二段 (dú dì èr duàn), read the second paragraph.