逐渐 (zhú jiàn) is an adverb meaning 'gradually' or 'step by step.' It describes a slow, steady, and continuous change over time — not sudden or abrupt. The character 逐 means 'to pursue' or 'one by one,' suggesting sequential progression; 渐 means 'gradual' or 'progressive,' often implying natural, unhurried development. Together, they emphasize orderly, incremental change — commonly used with verbs of change like 变得 (become), 增加 (increase), 减少 (decrease), or 改善 (improve).

This word appears frequently in formal writing, news reports, academic contexts, and everyday speech when describing trends, personal growth, environmental shifts, or societal developments. It typically modifies the verb and usually appears before it (e.g., 逐渐增加). Unlike some other adverbs, 逐渐 cannot stand alone as a sentence element and must accompany a change-oriented verb to convey its full meaning.