级

• Pinyin: jí
• Hanzi breakdown: 级 = 纟(silk radical) + 及 (to reach); originally meant steps or rungs.

Meaning

Level; grade; rank. A unit of classification indicating position in a hierarchy.

Used for school grades (三年级 — third grade), test levels (HSK四级 — HSK Level 4), rankings, and intensity scales. A very common classifier in education and grading systems.

Examples

1. 我在上三年级。 I'm in the third grade.
2. 他通过了HSK四级。 He passed HSK Level 4.
3. 这个台阶有二十级。 These stairs have twenty steps.

Usage Guide

Context: education, tests, classification

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 你是几年级的学生？(What grade are you in?)
• 他的汉语水平是中级。(His Chinese level is intermediate.)

Don't Say

• 不要把年级和年纪混起来 (Don't confuse 年级 with 年纪 — 年级 means school grade, while 年纪 means age)

Origin & History

Composed of 纟 (silk/thread radical) and 及 (to reach). Originally referred to steps or rungs, later extended to levels and grades.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal