U+9636 "阶" CJK Unified Ideograph-# Unicode Character

U+9636 "阶" CJK Unified Ideograph-# is a Chinese character that primarily means "step," "stair," or "rank," functioning as a simplified form of its traditional counterpart "階." It is composed of the radical "阝" (representing a hill or mound, often associating with elevated or layered structures) and the phonetic component "介," which contributes to its pronunciation (jiē in Mandarin). In modern usage, this ideograph appears in common words such as "阶级" meaning "class" or "hierarchy," "阶梯" meaning "ladder" or "stairs," and "台阶" meaning "steps" or "doorstep." Its semantic range extends from physical steps or terraces to abstract levels of status or progression.