舞台
stage; arena
wǔtái
What does 舞台 mean?
舞台 (wǔtái) means "stage" — the raised platform where performances happen (站在舞台上, "stand on the stage"). Just as often it is used figuratively to mean an "arena" or "platform" where people or nations get to show what they can do: 国际舞台 (the international stage), 世界舞台 (the world stage), 历史舞台 (the stage of history). In this sense it frames opportunity and visibility — 给年轻人一个舞台 means "give young people a platform to shine."
The characters are 舞 (to dance) and 台 (platform/stage). Distinguish it from 讲台 (jiǎngtái), the lectern or podium a teacher stands at, and from the business word 平台 (píngtái), a "platform" in the sense of a system or marketplace (电商平台, e-commerce platform) rather than a performance space.
Note: Neutral; the figurative "arena" sense is common in news and formal writing.
Character breakdown
to dance
platform; stage; stand
Memory hook: A 台 (platform) for 舞 (dance) and performance = a stage.
Measure word for 舞台
Example sentences
她第一次站在这么大的舞台上。
Tā dì-yī cì zhàn zài zhème dà de wǔtái shàng.
It was her first time on such a big stage.
neutral
这次比赛是他展示自己的舞台。
Zhè cì bǐsài shì tā zhǎnshì zìjǐ de wǔtái.
This competition is his stage to show what he can do.
written
中国企业开始走上国际舞台。
Zhōngguó qǐyè kāishǐ zǒushàng guójì wǔtái.
Chinese companies are stepping onto the international stage.
written
舞台的灯光突然亮了。
Wǔtái de dēngguāng tūrán liàng le.
The stage lights suddenly came on.
neutral
Common phrases with 舞台
Hear it in real Fluentide episodes
舞台 appears in 1 podcast episode at natural native speed, with full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Synonyms
平台 is a platform in the systemic sense — a marketplace, app, or framework (交易平台). 舞台 is a stage for performing or a metaphorical arena for showing ability.
Don't confuse 舞台 with
FAQ
Related words from the same episodes
Acquire by listening
Hear 舞台 in real Chinese, not in a flashcard.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this word shows up again and again in real sentences. Pinyin, translation, and the episode where you heard it — every time. Free to start, no card.