级

級

jí

及 + 纟

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

jí (noun) level; grade; rank

jí (noun) step (of stairs)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 及 represents the sound. Simplified form of 級.

Semantic: 纟 Phonetic: 及

About

级 is the simplified form of 級, a phono-semantic compound originating in silk production. It combines the silk radical 纟 (simplified from 糹) as the meaning component with 及 (jí, 'to reach') as the phonetic. The original sense referred to the sequential sorting and grading of silk threads by quality and thickness. This industrial meaning later broadened to cover any rank, level, grade, or step in a hierarchical system, for example school grades or stairs.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我是三年级学生。

Wǒ shì sān niánjí xuéshēng.

I am a third-grade student.

这辆车是高级车。

Zhè liàng chē shì gāojí chē.

This car is a high-end car.

他的英语等级很高。

Tā de Yīngyǔ děngjí hěn gāo.

His English level is very high.

我参加了初级课程。

Wǒ cānjiāle chūjí kèchéng.

I attended an elementary course.

她是中级管理人员。

Tā shì zhōngjí guǎnlǐ rényuán.

She is an intermediate management personnel.

我需要升级我的电脑。

Wǒ xūyào shēngjí wǒ de diànnǎo.

I need to upgrade my computer.

社会中有不同的阶级。

Shèhuì zhōng yǒu bùtóng de jiējí.

There are different classes in society.

根据他的表现，公司决定给他晋升一级。

Gēnjù tā de biǎoxiàn, gōngsī juédìng gěi tā jìnshēng yī jí.

Based on his performance, the company decided to promote him one level.

Related Characters

Component: 及

Component: 纟

级