阶梯 (jiē tī) — flight of steps; staircase; (figurative) steppi…

Definition

Literally a flight of steps, but commonly used figuratively for a 'stepping stone' or 'ladder' toward a goal. 楼梯 is the everyday word for indoor stairs; 梯子 is a portable ladder; 台阶 is outdoor steps or a face-saving exit.

noun

flight of stepsstaircase(figurative) stepping stoneladder to success

Measure word · 个

Examples

阶梯，。
Yán zhe jiē tī wǎng shàng zǒu, jiù néng kàn dào tú shū guǎn.
Walk up the steps and you'll see the library.
阶梯。
Zhè cì shí xí shì tā shì yè de zhòng yào jiē tī.
This internship is an important stepping stone in his career.
阶梯。
Zhī shi shì tōng wǎng chéng gōng de jiē tī.
Knowledge is the ladder to success.

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jiēstep

梯tīladder

阶 means step and 梯 means ladder; together they name a staircase or a way up.

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.

木弟梯

Meaning part形符xíngfú

木木mùwood, tree

Sound part声符shēngfú

弟

弟dì梯tī

Same sound today

梯 puts 木 (wood/tree) beside 弟, which gives the sound, to write a wooden ladder.

Open 梯 →

Appears in