adverb HSK 5
Traditional 漸
gradually · by degrees · little by little
Meaning
渐 means 'gradually' or 'progressively' and describes a slow, incremental change or development over time. It is commonly used in literary and formal contexts to indicate that something happens step by step rather than all at once.
Usage
渐 is typically used in compound words like 渐渐 (jiànjiàn) meaning 'gradually' in everyday speech, or in more formal compounds like 渐进 (jiànjìn) meaning 'gradual progress'. By itself, 渐 is quite literary and appears more often in written Chinese than in casual conversation.
Examples
- 01天色渐暗，我们该回家了。, .The sky is gradually darkening; we should go home.
- 02学习汉语要循序渐进，不能急于求成。, .Learning Chinese requires gradual progress; you can't rush for quick results.
Common collocations
- 渐渐地gradually
- 循序渐进advance step by step
- 渐入佳境gradually enter a better state
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 漸 consists of the water radical 氵(water) and 斬 (to cut/chop), suggesting the image of water slowly advancing or seeping through, symbolizing gradual progression.