Meaning:
“台阶” means “stairs,” and “侠” refers to “a chivalrous man.” Literally translated as “one who helps people down precarious stairs,” this term coined by Chinese netizens derives from the saying “下台阶” (xiàtáijiē: go down the stairs), a metaphor for “finding a way out of an awkward social situation.” Therefore, the term refers to those who are ready to rescue their friend from awkward social situations and exempt the latter from humiliation. These people are often ingenious and compassionate.
Example:
A: 昨天我和小丽去逛街，看到一件连衣裙，试穿后才发现太贵了。
Zuótiān wǒ hé xiǎolì qù guàngjiē，kàndào yījiàn liányīqún，shìchuān hòu cái fāxiàn tài guì le。
I went shopping with Xiao Li yesterday and there was this dress that caught my eye. But I found it too expensive after I’d tried it on.
B: 有点尴尬。
Yǒudiǎn gāngà。
That’s a bit of embarrassing.
A: 小丽真是台阶侠，当着店员的面大声说：“这件衣服和你上周买的那件差不多啊，干嘛又要买？”
Xiǎolì zhēn shì táijiēxiá，dāng zhe diànyuán de miàn dàshēng shuō：“zhèjiàn yīfú hé nǐ shàngzhōu mǎi de nàjiàn chàbuduō a，gànmá yòu yào mǎi？”
Xiao Li was chivalrous and ingenious. She said loudly in the earshot of the shop assistant: “This dress is not much different from the one you bought last week. Why do you want it?”