Use 階 to find your way around a building and describe a stage in a process. Learn each reading with its word.
The idea
階 has 12 strokes; use the linked diagram for their order. It is normally read かい in 階段（かいだん） and 段階（だんかい）. Floor numbers include 一階（いっかい）, 二階（にかい） and 三階（さんがい）; 何階 is なんがい.
Examples
- 受付は一階にあります。The reception desk is on the first floor.
- 図書館は三階です。The library is on the third floor.
- 会議室は何階ですか。What floor is the meeting room on?
- 階段で二階へ行きます。I take the stairs to the second floor.
- 地下一階に店があります。There is a shop on basement level one.
- 計画は次の段階に進みます。The plan moves to the next stage.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
In Japanese numbering 一階 is the ground-level floor, which may have a different number in your country. 三階 and 何階 use がい, while 一階 has a small っ. 回 also reads かい but counts occasions, not floors.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 三階 in hiragana.
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さんがい
三階 is さんがい: the floor counter is voiced after 三.
Write the reading of 階段 in hiragana.
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かいだん
階段 is かいだん, meaning stairs; learn the whole compound.
Choose the missing kanji: 段＿（だんかい）［階／回］.
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階
階 completes 段階（だんかい）, a stage in a process. 回 counts occasions.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 三階 in hiragana.
Write the reading of 階段 in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: 段＿（だんかい）［階／回］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write 階 using the stroke diagram. Cover the readings and say 一階, 三階 and 階段, then ask which floor a room is on.