级 meaning and stroke order
Level; grade; rank
How to write 级, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 级
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- level
- grade
- rank
- step (of stairs)
- classifier: step, level
How 级 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Silk.
纟 gives the meaning and 及 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 级
级 combines the silk radical 纟 with 及 (jí), which gives the sound. Picture silk threads sorted into neat grades of quality, one level after another, and you have 级 (jí), level or grade.
级 usually appears in compounds about levels, school years, and ranks, such as 年级 (niánjí), 高级 (gāojí), and 超级 (chāojí). It can also be a classifier for steps or levels. Example: 我妹妹上三年级。(Wǒ mèimei shàng sān niánjí.) My younger sister is in third grade.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 级 (jí) with 极 (jí, extreme) because they sound the same and share 及. Remember that 级 with silk 纟 is about levels, while 极 with wood 木 means extremely, as in 极了 (jíle).
Common words with 级
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 高级 | gāojí | high level; high grade | HSK 2 |
| 年级 | niánjí | grade; year (in school, college etc) | HSK 2 |
| 中级 | zhōngjí | middle level (in a hierarchy) | HSK 2 |
| 超级 | chāojí | super-; ultra- | HSK 3 |
| 班级 | bānjí | class (group of students); grade (in school) | HSK 3 |
| 初级 | chūjí | junior; primary | HSK 3 |
| 上级 | shàngjí | higher authorities; superiors | HSK 5 |
| 等级 | děngjí | grade; rank | HSK 5 |
| 升级 | shēngjí | to go up by one grade; to be promoted; to escalate (in intensity) | HSK 6 |
| 顶级 | dǐngjí | top-notch; first-rate | HSK 7-9 |
| 级别 | jíbié | (military) rank; level | HSK 7-9 |
| 阶级 | jiējí | (social) class | HSK 7-9 |
| 重量级 | zhòngliàngjí | (sports) heavyweight class; (fig.) important; major; prominent; influential | HSK 7-9 |
| 世界级 | shìjiè jí | world-class | HSK 7-9 |
级 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 级
How many strokes are in 级?
级 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 级 mean?
级 (jí) means level; grade; rank. A common word with it is 高级 (gāojí), meaning "high level; high grade".
How do you pronounce 级?
级 is pronounced jí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 级?
The radical of 级 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 级 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 级?
The traditional form of 级 is 級. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 级 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 级 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 级 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 年级 and 班级?
年级 (niánjí) means the grade or year in school, like first grade. 班级 (bānjí) means a class, the specific group of students you belong to within a grade.
How do you use 超级 in everyday speech?
超级 (chāojí) works like English super- and is common in casual talk. You can say 超级好吃 (chāojí hǎochī), super tasty, or use it in words like 超级市场 (chāojí shìchǎng), supermarket.