層

Denotes stratification or vertical accumulation of stacked elements.

• Physical/Architectural: Stories or floors of a building; physical strata such as layers of clothing, skin, sediment, or materials deposited in sheets.
• Abstract/Metaphorical: Degrees of meaning, stages of an argument, or levels of consciousness, typically suggesting a structure where one level is built upon another.

Functions as a measure word for objects arranged in stacks. When used as a classifier, the translator should determine if the text is simply counting units or specifically emphasizing the arrangement and order of those units.

層 vs. 等 (děng): Both may be translated as "level" or "grade." However, 等 generally refers to rank, category, or social status, whereas 層 refers to accumulation and physical or conceptual layering.

Tang-period reading: *dzhəng. Simplified variant: U+5C42.