級|きゅうkyuu[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. noun, counter(school) grade; year; class
   彼かれは１０年ねん級きゅうに在学中ざいがくちゅうだ。↗

   He is in the tenth grade.
2. noun, suffixclass; grade; rank; level
   彼かれはまだヘビー級へびーきゅうの選手権せんしゅけんを保持ほじしている。↗

   He still holds the heavyweight title.
3. noun, counterkyu (junior rank in martial arts, go, shogi, etc.)

• SynonymグレードNeutralLoanword for the grade or tier of products and services, as in 「グレードアップ」; common in speech.
• Synonym等級とうきゅうWrittenWritten word for a grade or rank, as in 「一等級」, and for the magnitude of stars; more formal than 「級」.
• SynonymクラスNeutralLoanword for a school class or a quality tier, as in 「クラス替え」 and 「トップクラス」.
• SynonymランクNeutralLoanword for rank or standing, as in 「ランクが上がる」; the focus is on one's position in an ordering.
• SynonymレベルNeutralLoanword for level or standard, as in 「レベルが高い」; very common in speech.
• Synonym程度ていどNeutralMeans degree or extent, as in 「ある程度」; the focus is on how much, not on rank.
• Related段階だんかいNeutralRefers to stages or steps in a process, as in 「最終段階」; 「級」 is about rank or grade, not progression.
• Related度合いどあいNeutralMeans degree or extent, as in 「緊張の度合い」; it measures how much, and does not indicate rank.
• RelatedレベルNeutralLoanword for level or standard, as in 「レベルが高い」; very common in speech.
• Related階級かいきゅうNeutralRefers to social class or military rank, as in 「階級社会」; the focus is on status and standing.
• Related階層かいそうWrittenWritten word for social strata or layered structures, as in 「富裕層」; focuses on stratification within society.
• Related格かくNeutralRefers to status or class, as in 「格が違う」, with a nuance of dignity or quality.
• Related位くらいNeutralRefers to rank or official position; as 「くらい」 it can also mean roughly or about.
• RelatedランキングNeutralLoanword for a ranking or leaderboard, as in 「人気ランキング」.
• Related段位だんいNeutralThe dan rank in martial arts or go, as in 「段位を取る」; one tier above 「級」.
• Related等位とういWrittenRare written word for grade or rank; in everyday speech use 「等級」.

Use 「級」 for exam levels and kyu ranks in the martial arts; the tier above is 「段」. For product grades say 「グレード」, for rankings 「ランク」, for ability levels 「レベル」, for social class 「階級」, and for stages in a process 「段階」.

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

1. （キュウ）階級かいきゅうや等級とうきゅうをあらわす接尾語せつびご、またはその位置いちを数かぞえる助数詞じょすうし。
2. 写真しゃしん植字しょくじで活字かつじの大おおきさの単位たんい。1級いっきゅうは0.25ミリメートル。英語えいごquarter（4分ぶんの1）の頭文字かしらもじQに漢字かんじを当あてたもの。