About
The character "渐", whose traditional form is "漸", is etymologically linked to the concept of water and its persistent, incremental action. Its structure combines the water radical (氵) with the component "斬" (zhǎn, meaning to cut or sever), a composition that originally conveyed the idea of water soaking into or gradually eroding a surface, as if cutting through it over time. This foundational sense of a slow, permeating process naturally extended from describing physical phenomena to encompassing abstract concepts of gradual change and progression. Consequently, the character's core meaning shifted from the specific act of gradual soaking or infiltration to the general adverbial sense of "gradually" or "little by little", capturing any slow, continuous transition, whether in state, degree, or condition.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
天渐渐黑了。
他的病渐渐好转了。
我对这个城市逐渐熟悉起来。
两人渐行渐远，没了联系。
改革的成效正在逐渐显现。
她的态度发生了渐进式的转变。
通过渐进的方法，他掌握了技巧。
城市化进程逐渐加快，带来了新的挑战。