刻々(こっこく)

刻々(こっこく) emphasizes continuous, incremental change over time. It is typically used for situations that are urgent, evolving, or dramatic.

Common patterns

As a taru-adjective, it takes the particle と when modifying a verb: 刻々(こっこく)と変(か)わる. It does not take な or の.

• 刻々(こっこく)と変(か)わる: to change moment by moment
• 刻々(こっこく)と迫(せま)る: to approach steadily
• 刻々(こっこく)と過(す)ぎる: to pass moment by moment
• 刻々(こっこく)と悪化(あっか)する: to worsen steadily

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Slightly literary or formal. Common in news reporting and written Japanese. Less common in casual conversation.

Etymology

刻(こく) originally referred to units of time, so 刻々(こっこく) literally means "time period by time period."

Similar words

• 次第(しだい)に: gradually (more general, less dramatic)
• 徐々(じょじょ)に: little by little (slower pace implied)