noun HSK 4
ladder · stairs · steps
Meaning
梯 refers to any structure used for climbing or ascending, including ladders, stairs, and steps. It's commonly used as a standalone character meaning ladder, but more frequently appears in compound words like 楼梯 (staircase) and 电梯 (elevator).
Usage
While 梯 can stand alone to mean ladder, it's more commonly found in compound words in everyday speech. Native speakers typically use 楼梯 for stairs in buildings and 电梯 for elevators. The standalone 梯 is more literary or formal.
Examples
- 01我需要一架梯子来换灯泡。.I need a ladder to change the light bulb.
- 02这栋楼的楼梯很陡。.The stairs in this building are very steep.
Measure words
- 架一架梯子
- 座一座楼梯
Common collocations
- 爬梯子to climb a ladder
- 梯子ladder
- 上楼梯to go upstairs
- 下楼梯to go downstairs
Origin
The character 梯 is composed of the wood radical 木 on the left, indicating it originally referred to wooden ladders or climbing structures made from wood.