懂中文 Dong Chinese

階

jiē

stairs

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 皆 represents the sound.

Components
阝 meaning component

阝  Meaning component

fù

  

hill, place

阝 is a component form of 阜.

皆 sound component

皆  Sound component

jiē

  

all

Evolution

階 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
階 Bronze script Early Warring States (~400 BC)

Bronze script

Early Warring States (~400 BC)
階 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
階 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
階 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

阶 (階) 

jiē

stairs, steps; rank, degree; rank or step; stairs

Most common words with 階
Freq.
Word
Meaning

阶段

stage

台阶

steps

无产阶级

proletariat

阶级

(social) class

阶

stairs