阶段 (jiē duàn) — stage, phase, period | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

阶段 names a distinct stretch within a process or development (early stage, final stage). It pairs with 个 and is more concrete than the broader 时期.

noun

stagephaseperiod

Measure word · 个

Examples

阶段。
Xué xí hàn yǔ yào jīng guò bù tóng de jiē duàn.
Learning Chinese goes through different stages.
阶段。
Zhè ge xiàng mù yǐ jīng jìn rù zuì hòu jiē duàn le.
This project has entered the final stage.
阶段。
Měi gè jiē duàn dōu yǒu bù tóng de rèn wu.
Each stage has different tasks.

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

段duànsection

阶 (step) and 段 (section) combine to mean a stage or period.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

殳殳shū

Sound part声符shēngfú

厂

厂chǎng段duàn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

段's shape shows 殳 as a hammer breaking a stone, with fragments flying off.

Open 段 →

Appears in

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