阶段
jiēduàn · HSK 4
period
📶 阶 = steps + 段 = section; together: a section of steps, i.e. a stage
阶 means steps or rank (think 阶梯, staircase); 段 means a segment or section. A 阶段 is one section along a stepped progression — a phase or stage in a process.
段 — left component 𠂉 + right component 殳 (weapon/strike)
段 originally depicted striking or hammering a piece of stone or metal with a tool, shown by the 殳 'strike' element on the right. From this 'hammering/forging' sense it extended to mean a section or segment cut off, and today it commonly means a paragraph, stage, or piece.