Is top dead center the compression stroke?

Top dead center (TDC) refers to the position of a piston at the highest point in its cylinder. It can occur at the end of both the compression stroke and the exhaust stroke, depending on the engine cycle. During the compression stroke, the piston moves upward toward TDC, compressing the air-fuel mixture before ignition. Therefore, TDC is not exclusively the compression stroke; it is a position that can be reached at different points in the engine cycle.