How to say "step" in Japanese

• 段だんJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, counterA step or stair as a physical thing — one of the steps of a staircase, or a rung of a ladder; it also serves as the counter when counting steps.
  彼かれは階段かいだんを一度いちどに三さん段だんずつかけあがった。↗

  He jumped up the steps three at a time.
• ステップCommon
  nounA loanword for the step of a staircase or similar structure, and for the running board of a bus or train; for stairs it largely overlaps with 段.
• 歩ほCommon
  nounA step or stride as a unit of walking; used in counting paces, as in how many steps it is from one place to another.
  彼女かのじょに追おいつくために私は歩ほを速はやめた。↗

  I quickened my steps to catch up with her.
• 対策たいさくJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounHere 'step' means a measure taken to deal with a problem — a countermeasure; it never refers to physical steps or to a stage in a process.
  その場ばしのぎの対策たいさくでは麻薬まやく中毒ちゅうどく問題もんだいに切り込きりこむことはできないでしょう。↗

  Stopgap measures won't make a dent in drug addiction.
• 段階だんかいJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounA step in the sense of a stage or phase of a process or development — one of the successive levels something passes through, rather than a physical step.
  病気びょうきはまだ初期しょきの段階だんかいです。↗

  The disease is still in the primary stage.

For physical steps use 段 or 「ステップ」, for a pace walked use 歩, for a step in a process use 段階, and for a step taken to deal with a problem use 対策.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 段だんstep
• ステップstep (of a staircase, etc.)
• 歩ほstep
• 対策たいさくmeasure
• 段階だんかいstage
• 措置そちmeasure
• 一歩いっぽ(a) step
• 処置しょちmeasure
• 音程おんていinterval
• 足並みあしなみpace
• 歩調ほちょうpace
• 運びはこびprogress
• 足取りあしどりgait
• 梯子段はしごだんstep
• 踏み段ふみだんstep
• 一切りひときりpause
• 踏み面ふみめんtread (of a wheel)
• 歩幅ほはば(length of one's) step
• 歩みあゆみpace
• 足元あしもとgait
• 踏み板ふみいたstep
• 階梯かいていrank
• 律りつstep (in traditional Eastern music, corresponding to a Western semitone)