渐 jiàn gradually
How to remember 渐: 氵 water + 斩 to chop = gradually. Each spring the melting water softens the frozen log that grandpa could not chop, and it falls apart gradually.
Component breakdown
渐 = 氵 water + 斩 to chop
- 氵 water
- 斩 to chop
Each spring the melting water softens the frozen log that grandpa could not chop, and it falls apart gradually.
How it is used
- A bound literary morpheme meaning "gradually" - modern Mandarin virtually never uses it alone as a one-syllable adverb; it always appears doubled or compounded.
- 渐渐 jiànjiàn is the everyday adverb for gradual change: 天渐渐冷了 (Tiān jiànjiàn lěng le) - "It's gradually getting cold."
- 逐渐 zhújiàn is the more formal/written equivalent, common in essays and news reports rather than casual speech.