階段

• Reading: かいだん
• Romaji: kaidan
• Kanji breakdown: 階 (kai) — floor, storey; 段 (dan/tan) — step, grade, level
• Pronunciation: /ka.i.da.ɴ/

Meaning

Stairs; stairway; staircase. A set of steps for going between floors.

A common noun in buildings and daily navigation. Key phrases: 階段を上る (go up stairs), 階段を下りる (go down stairs), 階段を使う (use the stairs). Note: be careful not to confuse with 怪談 (kaidan — ghost story), which has the same pronunciation but different kanji and meaning.

Examples

1. 三階まで階段で上りました。 I walked up the stairs to the third floor.
2. 階段の近くにエレベーターがあります。 There is an elevator near the stairs.
3. この階段は少し急です。 These stairs are a little steep.

Usage Guide

Context: buildings, daily life, navigation

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 階 (floor/storey) and 段 (step/grade). Together they literally describe 'floor steps' — a structure of steps connecting different levels of a building.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal