段落

• Pinyin: duàn luò
• Hanzi breakdown: 段 = 殳 (action) + compound — a demarcated section; 落 = 艹 (grass) + 洛 (phonetic) — to drop down and settle at a boundary

Meaning

Paragraph; a discrete section of written text. Also used figuratively to describe a phase, stage, or completed portion of a process.

In writing, refers to a clearly demarcated paragraph or section. Figuratively, 告一段落 (to reach a stage of completion) is a very common expression signalling that one phase of work is done. Both senses appear frequently in academic, editorial, and professional contexts.

Examples

1. 这篇文章的每个段落都有明确的中心句，逻辑层次清晰。 Every paragraph of this article has a clear topic sentence, and the logic is well structured.
2. 经过数月的努力，项目第一阶段终于告一段落。 After months of hard work, the project’s first phase has finally come to an end.
3. 他在修改论文时，将原来杂乱的叙述重新整理成几个清晰的段落。 While revising his thesis, he reorganized the originally messy narrative into several clear paragraphs.

Usage Guide

Context: writing, editing, project management

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 写作时，每个段落应围绕一个核心论点展开，避免主题分散。(When writing, each paragraph should develop around a single core argument to avoid thematic dispersion.)
• 随着合同谈判告一段落，双方将进入正式签约的准备阶段。(As the contract negotiations come to a close, both parties will enter the preparation phase for formal signing.)

Don't Say

• 这个段落很长 to mean a road section is long — for road sections use 路段; 段落 is only for text paragraphs or figurative stages; say 这一段路很长 or 这个路段很长

Origin & History

段 (section/segment) + 落 (fall/settle — marking a natural end point)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal