Learn a Chinese Character - 阶

1. Character Basics

Radical: 阝/fù (fù radical, meaning hill or mountain, often associated with steps or levels)

Stroke Count: 6

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jiē (first tone)

3. Meaning

Step; stair; rank; grade; level; order; stage; degree; hierarchy

4. Common Words

• 台阶 (táijiē) - step, stair

  请小心台阶。

  Please be careful with the steps.

• 阶段 (jiēduàn) - stage, phase

  我们的项目正处于发展阶段。

  Our project is in the development stage.

• 阶级 (jiējí) - class, social class

  不同阶级的人有不同的生活方式。

  People of different classes have different lifestyles.

• 阶梯 (jiētī) - ladder, stairs

  知识是通往成功的阶梯。

  Knowledge is the ladder to success.

• 阶层 (jiēcéng) - stratum, layer

  社会分为不同的阶层。

  Society is divided into different strata.

• 阶下囚 (jiēxiàqiú) - prisoner, captive

  他从国王变成了阶下囚。

  He went from being a king to a prisoner.

5. Grammar & Usage

The character 阶 is primarily used as a noun with several important grammatical patterns:

• Referring to physical steps or stairs:

  Most commonly used in the compound 台阶 (táijiē) to mean "steps" or "stairs"

  Example: 这座大楼有很多台阶。 (This building has many steps.)

• Referring to abstract levels or stages:

  Used in compounds like 阶段 (jiēduàn) to indicate a phase or stage

  Example: 我们已经完成了第一阶段的工作。 (We have completed the first phase of work.)

• In social context:

  Used in compounds like 阶级 (jiējí) and 阶层 (jiēcéng) to refer to social classes or strata

  Example: 阶级差距正在缩小。 (The class gap is narrowing.)

• In the structure "第几阶":

  Used to indicate the ordinal number of steps

  Example: 请上到第三阶。 (Please go up to the third step.)

• In metaphorical expressions:

  Used in compounds like 阶梯 (jiētī) to mean "ladder" in both literal and metaphorical senses

  Example: 教育是社会流动的阶梯。 (Education is the ladder of social mobility.)

阶 is an important character for describing both physical structures and abstract concepts of progression, hierarchy, and classification in Chinese.

6. Cultural Background

The character 阶 has significant cultural implications in Chinese society:

• 台阶 (steps) have symbolic meaning in Chinese architecture, often representing progress, elevation, and transition between different spaces.
• Traditional Chinese buildings, especially temples and palaces, often have grand staircases with symbolic numbers of steps.
• The concept of 阶级 (social class) has played a crucial role in Chinese history, from the feudal system to modern society.
• In Chinese culture, there is a saying "步步高升" (bùbùgāoshēng) which means "to rise step by step," expressing the wish for steady progress in one's career or life.
• The character 阶 is also used in idioms like "阶下囚" (jiēxiàqiú) meaning "prisoner at the foot of the steps," referring to someone who has lost their power or status.
• Modern usage of 阶 often relates to social mobility and personal development, reflecting the importance of progress and advancement in Chinese culture.

The character 阶 thus represents not just physical steps, but also the cultural concepts of hierarchy, progress, and social structure that have been important throughout Chinese history.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 阶 (jiē) can be broken down into two parts:

• The left part is 阝 (fù), the hill/mountain radical, which suggests elevation or something related to landforms.
• The right part is 介 (jiè), which provides the pronunciation clue and can also mean "between" or "intermediate".

To remember this character:

1. Associate the 阝 radical with the idea of elevation or steps going up a hill.
2. Think of the right component 介 (jiè) which sounds similar to the pronunciation jiē.
3. Practice writing the character several times, focusing on the correct stroke order: first the 阝 radical on the left, then the 介 part on the right.
4. Connect the character to its most common use in 台阶 (táijiē) meaning "steps" or "stairs".
5. Use the character in both literal contexts (physical steps) and metaphorical contexts (stages of development) to reinforce your understanding of its versatility.