階級

• Reading: かいきゅう
• Romaji: kaikyuu
• Kanji breakdown: 階 (kai) — stairs, floor, level; 級 (kyuu) — grade, rank, class
• Pronunciation: /ka.i.kjɯː/

Meaning

Social class; rank; grade. A position in a social or organisational hierarchy.

A noun referring to a distinct level within a hierarchical structure, whether social, military, or organisational. Common collocations include 社会階級 (shakai kaikyuu, social class), 階級社会 (kaikyuu shakai, class-based society), and 階級闘争 (kaikyuu tousou, class struggle). In military contexts, it refers to rank. Broader and more structural than 身分 (mibun, social status), which refers to individual standing.

Examples

1. 封建時代の日本には厳しい階級制度があった。 Feudal Japan had a strict class system.
2. 彼は軍の中で高い階級に昇進した。 He rose to a high rank in the military.
3. 階級の違いを超えた友情はなかなか生まれにくい。 Friendships that transcend class differences are hard to come by.

Usage Guide

Context: sociology, history, military

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 階 (kai, stairs/level) + 級 (kyuu, grade/rank). Literally 'stairway grade' — evoking a stepped hierarchy of social positions.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal