躋

The physical act of ascending or climbing, emphasizing the process of stepping upward (e.g., mounting a platform, climbing a mountain). In political or social contexts, this serves as a metaphor for advancement in rank or status, often implying entry into an elite or restricted space.

Transitive: to climb or ascend [a specific object/rank]. Intransitive/Directional: to rise; to move upward.

Contrast with 登 (dēng): while frequently interchangeable, 躋 often emphasizes the transition or act of stepping up, whereas 登 more commonly suggests reaching a summit, arriving at a destination, or being officially entered into a register. The glyph typically denotes the action of rising rather than the state of being above.

Tang-period reading: tzei. Variants include 跻 (U+8DFB) and U+96AE.