adverb HSK 4
Traditional 漸漸
gradually · little by little · by degrees
Meaning
渐渐 describes a slow, progressive change that happens over time rather than suddenly. It emphasizes the gradual nature of a transformation or development, suggesting that the change is noticeable but unhurried.
Usage
Native speakers use 渐渐 to describe processes that unfold slowly, such as weather changes, emotional shifts, or learning progress. It typically appears before the verb it modifies and carries a neutral tone, simply observing that something is changing at a measured pace. Common in both spoken and written Chinese.
Examples
- 01天色渐渐暗了下来。.The sky gradually darkened.
- 02我渐渐喜欢上了这座城市。.I gradually came to like this city.
Characters
Common collocations
- 渐渐地gradually (with emphasis)
- 渐渐明白gradually understand
- 渐渐习惯gradually get used to
- 渐渐忘记gradually forget
Antonyms
Origin
The character 渐 combines the water radical 氵with 斩 (to cut/chop), originally suggesting water gradually soaking in or advancing. The reduplication 渐渐 intensifies the sense of gradualness.