Japanese word

階層

Pronunciation

Romajikaisō

Meaning

  • nounhierarchy

Example

会社の階層が多すぎます。kai sha no kai sō ga ō su gi ma su

The company has too many levels.

Illustration for 階層 (hierarchy)

More examples

情報を階層ごとに整理すると、探しやすくなります。jō hō o kai sō go to ni sei ri su ru to saga shi ya su ku na ri ma su

Organizing information by level makes it easier to find.

Core concept

階層 (kaisō, "hierarchy") describes an arrangement in which people or things are placed in ordered levels from higher to lower.

Common phrases

  • 階層構造kai sō kō zō

    hierarchical structure

  • 高い階層taka i kai sō

    high level

  • 階層間の移動kai sō kan no i dō

    movement between levels

Similar words

階級kaikyū: A rank within a social or organizational system.
序列joretsu: An order that ranks people or things by status, importance, or priority.

Definition in Japanese

組織や物事を、上下関係や段階の順序に従って分類した構造。so shiki ya mono goto o jō ge kan kei ya dan kai no jun jo ni shitaga tte bun rui shi ta kō zō

Word origin

階層 (kaisō, "hierarchy") combines 階 (kai, "step or storey") and 層 (sō, "layer"), expressing levels built one above another.

Usage tips

  • Japanese uses 階層 (kaisō) for ranked organization and for nested data or folders, so the word extends beyond a system of titles.

Other meanings

  • layernoun
  • levelnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 階層化kaisōkahierarchical organizationnoun
  • 階層的kaisōtekihierarchicalna-adjective
  • 階層性kaisōseihierarchical naturenoun

Word lists with this word