次第(しだい)に

次第(しだい)に means "gradually" or "progressively," describing change that occurs slowly over time.

Similar words

• だんだん: gradually (casual, everyday)
• 徐々(じょじょ)に: gradually (formal, written)
• 少(すこ)しずつ: little by little (emphasis on small increments)
• 段階的(だんかいてき)に: step by step, in stages

Nuance differences

• 次第(しだい)に: neutral to formal; emphasizes continuous progression
• だんだん: casual; most common in spoken Japanese
• 徐々(じょじょ)に: formal/literary; often in written contexts

Common collocations

• 次第(しだい)に慣(な)れる: to gradually get used to
• 次第(しだい)に増(ふ)える: to gradually increase
• 次第(しだい)に変(か)わる: to gradually change
• 次第(しだい)に分(わ)かってくる: to gradually come to understand

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More formal than だんだん, appropriate for both spoken and written Japanese.