About
The character for "step" or "rank", now written as "阶" in its simplified form, originated from the concept of terraced steps or stairs, with its traditional form "階" combining the topographic radical "阝" on the left, denoting earthen mounds or elevations, with the phonetic element "皆" on the right. Over time, the meaning expanded from literal physical steps to include metaphorical levels, such as social strata or sequential stages in a process, while the simplified version "阶" retains the radical "阝" but substitutes the phonetic with "介", which itself carries connotations of intermediacy or boundary, aligning with the idea of steps as divisions between levels.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
请小心这些台阶。
我们处于准备阶段。
知识是进步的阶梯。
社会有不同的阶层。
这项任务分两个阶段完成。
他一步步地登上权力的阶梯。
这个理论源于特定的历史阶段。
分析社会必须考虑其阶级结构。