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循序渐进 (xún xù jiàn jìn) — to make steady progress step by step; to proceed in an orderly sequence

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'advance step by step in proper order' — a more formal, written idiom than the plain adverb 逐步. It emphasizes a deliberate, well-ordered sequence of progress.

phrase
to make steady progress step by stepto proceed in an orderly sequence

Examples

  • 循序渐进，。
    Xué xí yǔ yán yào xún xù jiàn jìn, bù néng tài zháo jí.
    Learning a language must be done step by step by step; you can't be too impatient.
  • 循序渐进。
    Zhè ge kè chéng de shè jì shì xún xù jiàn jìn de.
    The design of this course is to proceed in a step-by-step manner.
  • 循序渐进，。
    Àn zhào xún xù jiàn jìn de fāng fǎ, tā yí bù bù tí gāo le shuǐ píng.
    By following a step-by-step approach, he improved his level little by little.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

循序follow order
循xúnfollow序xùorder
动宾Verb + object
渐进advance gradually
渐jiàngradually进jìnadvance
偏正Modifier + head

循 (follow) + 序 (order) and 渐 (gradually) + 进 (advance) together describe steady step-by-step progress.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
彳彳chìmovement
Sound part声符shēngfú
盾
盾dùn循xún
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

循 has 彳 on the left, a part used for movement, and 盾 on the right, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 循 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎng
Sound part声符shēngfú
予
予yǔ序xù
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

序 combines 广 and 予; 予 gives the sound, while 广 marks the meaning.

Open 序 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 漸; 渐 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
斬
斬zhǎn漸jiàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 漸 pairs 氵, a water part, with 斬, which gives the sound; the simplified 渐 is a later shorthand.

Open 渐 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 進; 进 is its simplified writing.

  • 辵辵chuòwalk
  • 隹隹zhuīshort-tail bird

The traditional form 進 pairs 辵 (walk) with 隹 (short-tail bird): the picture showed moving forward because a bird can only walk forward, not backward. The simplified 进 is a later shorthand.

Open 进 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Idioms & Set PhrasesOrder & Arrangement

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