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少しずつ (すこしずつ, sukoshizutsu) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

少すこしずつ

also: すこしづつ

す

こ

し

ず

つ

Meanings

1

little by little; bit by bit; gradually

Describes a slow, incremental process or change over time.

日本にほん語ごを少すこしずつ勉べん

強きょう

し

て

い

ます

。

I'm studying Japanese little by little.

春はるになると、少すこしずつ暖あたたかくなります。

When spring comes, it gets warmer bit by bit.

Usage patterns

少すこしずつ〈動どう詞し〉to [verb] little by little
毎まい日にち少すこしずつ日本にほん語ごを勉べん強きょうしている。
I'm studying Japanese little by little every day.
少すこしずつ増ふえるto gradually increase bit by bit
貯ちょ金きんが少すこしずつ増ふえている。
My savings are gradually increasing little by little.
少すこしずつ慣なれるto gradually get used to something
新あたらしい仕し事ごとに少すこしずつ慣なれてきた。
I've been gradually getting used to my new job.

Expressions

少すこしずつ違ちがうdiffer slightly; vary a little

Kanji

少few, little

Related words· 6

徐じょ々じょにN3
徐々に is more formal and common in written or technical contexts, while 少しずつ is the everyday word for gradual change in small amounts.
だんだんN5
だんだん highlights a steady, noticeable progression, whereas 少しずつ emphasizes the smallness of each increment.
小こ刻きざみ
少しずつ is a general adverb meaning 'little by little', while 小刻みに more strongly suggests small repeated steps, intervals, or motions.
漸ぜん次じ
少しずつ is a plain, everyday phrase for little by little, while 漸次 carries an official or literary tone.

Show 2 more

ジワジワ
少しずつ simply means 'little by little' in a plain, countable sense, while ジワジワ conveys an ongoing, often felt or sensed gradual process.
だんだんN5
だんだん emphasizes gradual change over time, while 少しずつ emphasizes small, incremental amounts or steps.

Opposites

一いっ気きにN2
一気に describes doing something all at once in a single burst, the opposite of the gradual, incremental sense of 少しずつ.
一いち度どにN3
少しずつ means 'little by little', the opposite of 一度に, which means doing everything in one go.

Written forms

少すこしずつ
Standard spelling; the most common written form.
少すこしづつ
Variant spelling using づ; considered nonstandard but still encountered.
すこしづつ

Etymology

Compound of 少し (a little) + ずつ (distributive suffix indicating equal portions or gradual increments).