Meaning
段 refers to a distinct section, segment, or piece of something larger. It can describe physical divisions (like sections of road), temporal periods (phases of life), or textual units (paragraphs). As a measure word, it quantifies divided portions of things like rope, wood, time periods, or text.
Usage
Commonly used as a measure word with 一段 (yī duàn) meaning 'a section of' or 'a period of'. Native speakers frequently use it for time spans (一段时间 'a period of time'), distances (一段路 'a stretch of road'), and text divisions. It emphasizes the idea of something being part of a whole that has been divided or segmented.
Examples
- 01这段路很难走。.This stretch of road is difficult to walk on.
- 02我们认识已经有一段时间了。.We've known each other for quite a while now.
Common collocations
- 一段时间a period of time
- 一段路a stretch of road
- 这段时间this period of time, recently
- 手段method, means
Antonyms
Origin
The character 段 combines the radical 殳 (weapon/action) with phonetic component, originally referring to cutting or dividing into sections.