徐じょ々じょ

じょ

Meanings

taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle

archaic

Archaic 'taru' adjective/adverb describing a slow, gradual, or steady progression. In modern Japanese, 徐々に is the standard adverbial form.

病びょう状じょうは徐じょ々じょとして快かい方ほうに向むかった。
The condition of the illness gradually improved.

taru-adjective, adverb taking the 'to' particle

calm; composed; relaxed

archaic

Archaic use describing a calm or composed state. Rarely used in modern Japanese; the adverbial form 徐々に does not carry this meaning.

彼かれは徐じょ々じょとして動どうじなかった。
He remained calm and unperturbed.

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Kanji

徐gradually, slowly, deliberately

Related words

次し第だいにN2sense 1
徐々 is an archaic base form now surviving mainly in 徐々に, while 次第に is the everyday word for describing a gradual change.
だんだんN5sense 1
だんだん is a casual, everyday way to express gradual change, whereas 徐々 is a literary, archaic term rarely used outside its adverbial form.

Opposites

急きゅうにN4sense 1
徐々 describes a slow, step-by-step progression, while 急に describes something happening suddenly and without warning.

Word family

徐じょ々じょにN3
gradually; slowly; little by little

Written forms

徐じょ々じょUsage98%
Standard modern spelling.
じょじょUsage2%
徐じょ徐じょUsage<1%
Older kanji form; still encountered but less common than 徐々.

Etymology

The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 徐 carries the meaning of 'slowly' or 'gradually', and the reduplication 徐々 emphasizes the gradual nature.