stage; arena
HSK level
舞台 is written with 19 strokes (舞: 14, 台: 5). The animation replays automatically.
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 by character
Memory hook: A 台 (platform) for 舞 (dance) and performance = a stage.
舞台 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.
Browse the full episode library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
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.
Acquire it by listening
You just saw 舞台 in 1 episode. Fluentide keeps feeding you news episodes at your level, so this word — and thousands like it — resurface in real sentences until they stick. Full pinyin and translation every time. Free to start.
