档

• Pinyin: dàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 档 = 木 (wood) + 当 (phonetic)

Meaning

Grade; level; gear; files. A category, rank, or collection of documents.

Has multiple uses: (1) grade or level of quality (高档, 低档), (2) gear in vehicles, (3) file or record (档案). In computers, used for file management. Also appears in time slot contexts (档期).

Examples

1. 这款车有五个档位，适合不同的路况。 This car has five gears, suitable for different road conditions.
2. 这家店的商品分为高中低三个档次。 The products in this store are divided into high, medium, and low grades.
3. 把重要的文件存档，以备日后查阅。 Archive the important documents for future reference.

Usage Guide

Context: grading, vehicles, files

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 换档要平稳。(Shift gears smoothly.)
• 这个品牌属于高档消费。(This brand is considered high-end consumption.)

Don't Say

• 档根据语境有不同含义，注意区分档位、档次、档案等 (档 has different meanings depending on context — note the difference between 档位 gear, 档次 level, 档案 files)

Origin & History

Originally referred to wooden frames or shelves for organizing items. Extended to mean grades, levels, or organized files.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal