阶

Tap the pinyin to hear it

rank or step; stairs

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

阝 meaning “hill” + 介 sound ( jiè )

Components 阝介

stairs · Heisig RSH #1064

pinnacle + 介 introduce

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
高阶语言	gāo jiē yǔ yán	(computing) high-level language (Tw, HK, Macau)
同步数位阶层	tóng bù shù wèi jiē céng	synchronous digital hierarchy; SDH
地主阶级	dì zhǔ jiē jí	the landlord class
工人阶级	gōng rén jiē jí	working class
进身之阶	jìn shēn zhī jiē	stepping-stone to greater power or higher rank
小资产阶级	xiǎo zī chǎn jiē jí	petty bourgeois
阶级成分	jiē jí chéng fèn	social composition; social status (in Marxist theory, esp. using during the Cultural Revol…
五声音阶	wǔ shēng yīn jiē	pentatonic scale
中产阶级	zhōng chǎn jiē jí	middle class
无产阶级	wú chǎn jiē jí	proletariat
下台阶	xià tái jiē	to extricate oneself; way out
低阶语言	dī jiē yǔ yán	low-level (computer) language
社会阶层	shè huì jiē céng	social class
资产阶级	zī chǎn jiē jí	the capitalist class; the bourgeoisie
资产阶级革命	zī chǎn jiē jí gé mìng	bourgeois revolution (in Marx-Leninist theory, a prelude to the proletarian revolution)
七声音阶	qī shēng yīn jiē	heptatonic scale
农民阶级	nóng mín jiē jí	peasant class (esp. in Marxist theory); peasantry
加封官阶	jiā fēng guān jiē	to confer additional titles on a nobleman
资产阶级右派	zī chǎn jiē jí yòu pài	bourgeois rightist faction (esp. during anti-rightist movement of 1957-58)
阶级斗争	jiē jí dòu zhēng	class struggle

Characters sharing the sound component 介 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
介 sound part	jiè	agent, go-between, intermediary; to introduce; shell, armor
界	jiè	boundary, limit; domain; society, the world
价	jià	price, value
芥	jiè	mustard, broccoli
尬	gà	awkward, embarrassed; to limp, to stagger
疥	jiè	scabies; to itch
蚧	jiè	horny toad; red-spotted lizard