阶 meaning and stroke order
Stairs, steps; degree, rank
How to write 阶, 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 阶
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- rank or step
- stairs
- variant of 階|阶[jie1]
How 阶 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hill.
阝 gives the meaning and 介 hints at the sound.
Radical: 阝 (place), shared by 160 characters on this site.
How to remember 阶
The left part 阝 is a hill, and 介 (jiè) gives the sound. Picture steps cut into the side of a hill, one level after another, which is where both meanings come from: physical stairs and levels of rank.
阶 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It appears in words like 阶段 (jiēduàn, stage), 台阶 (táijiē, steps), and 阶级 (jiējí, social class). Example: 这个项目进入了新的阶段。(Zhège xiàngmù jìnrùle xīn de jiēduàn.) This project has entered a new stage.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 阶 (jiē) with its phonetic 介 (jiè) or with 价 (jià, price), which has the person radical 亻 instead of 阝. Also keep the first tone on 阶 rather than copying the fourth tone of 介.
Common words with 阶
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 阶段 | jiēduàn | stage; section | HSK 4 |
| 台阶 | táijiē | steps; flight of steps | HSK 4 |
| 阶级 | jiējí | (social) class | HSK 7-9 |
| 阶层 | jiēcéng | social class | HSK 7-9 |
| 阶梯 | jiētī | flight of steps; (fig.) stepping stone; way to reach the goal of | HSK 7-9 |
| 中产阶级 | zhōngchǎnjiējí | middle class | |
| 资产阶级 | zīchǎnjiējí | the capitalist class; the bourgeoisie | |
| 工人阶级 | gōngrénjiējí | working class | |
| 无产阶级 | wúchǎnjiējí | proletariat | |
| 现阶段 | xiànjiēduàn | at the present stage |
阶 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 阶
How many strokes are in 阶?
阶 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 阶 mean?
阶 (jiē) means stairs, steps; degree, rank. A common word with it is 阶段 (jiēduàn), meaning "stage; section".
How do you pronounce 阶?
阶 is pronounced jiē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 阶?
The radical of 阶 is 阝, which carries the idea of "place". Dictionaries list 阶 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 阶?
The traditional form of 阶 is 堦 and 階. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 阶 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 阶 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 阶 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 阶级 and 阶层?
阶级 (jiējí) usually means social class in a political or economic sense, as in 工人阶级 (working class). 阶层 (jiēcéng) means social stratum or layer and sounds more neutral and descriptive.
Can 阶 be used for steps in a figurative sense?
Yes. 阶梯 (jiētī) can mean a stepping stone toward a goal. There is also the set phrase 给他一个台阶下 (gěi tā yí gè táijiē xià), meaning to give someone a way to save face.