阶 jiē stairs
stairs; steps
怎么记住“阶”: 阝 mound + 介 between = stairs. On the grassy mound behind the church, grandma squeezes between the tourists to climb the old stairs worn smooth by centuries of feet.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
originally 阜 + 皆
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
阶 = 阝 mound + 介 between
- 阝 mound meaning
- 介 between shape only
- 𠆢 roof shape
- 丿 falling stroke
- 丨 line
On the grassy mound behind the church, grandma squeezes between the tourists to climb the old stairs worn smooth by centuries of feet.
How it came to be
The mound gives the meaning; in the full form, the right part gave the sound.
用法
- 阶段 jiēduàn is the essential word for "stage/phase": 在这个阶段 (zài zhège jiēduàn) "at this stage", used constantly for project, life, and development contexts.
- 台阶 táijiē is literal stairs/steps, and figuratively "a way to save face": 给他个台阶下 "give him a way out of an awkward situation."
- 阶层 jiēcéng (social stratum) and 阶级 jiējí (class, Marxist/political sense) are more formal, sociology-flavored words.