The word 渐渐 is formed through a process of reduplication, where the single character 渐 (jiàn), which carries the core meaning of "gradual" or "little by little", is repeated. This duplication does not create a new meaning but instead intensifies and reinforces the original concept, emphasizing a continuous, slow, and incremental progression. It visually and phonetically mirrors the very sense of a steady, unfolding process that it describes.