阶层 (jiē céng) — social class; stratum

Definition

Social class (a fixed group in society, ranked by wealth, status, or power). More like 阶级 (also 'social class,' often in Marxist/political contexts); 上层 and 等级 describe levels/ranks, not fixed social groups.

noun

social classstratum

Examples

阶层。
Shè huì zhōng bù tóng de jiē céng yǒu zhe bù tóng de shēng huó fāng shì.
Different social classes in society have different lifestyles.
阶层。
Tā tōng guò nǔ lì jìn rù le gèng gāo de jiē céng.
He entered a higher social class through hard work.
阶层。
Shōu rù shuǐ píng shì huà fēn jiē céng de yí gè zhòng yào biāo zhǔn.
Income level is an important criterion for dividing social classes.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

阶jiētier

层cénglayer

阶 and 层 both denote levels, so together they mean a social stratum or class.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 階; 阶 is its simplified writing.

阝皆階

Meaning part形符xíngfú

阝Written in full as阜fù

Sound part声符shēngfú

皆

皆jiē階jiē

Same sound today

The traditional form 階 uses 阝 (written in full as 阜) to relate to its meaning and 皆 to show its sound; the simplified 阶 is a later shorthand, so its right side is not the old sound part.

Open 阶 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 層; 层 is its simplified writing.

尸曾層

Meaning part形符xíngfú

尸尸shī

Sound part声符shēngfú

曾

曾céng層céng

Same sound today

The traditional form 層 uses 尸 for the meaning and 曾 for the sound; the simplified 层 is a later abbreviation.

Open 层 →