次し第だいに

し

だ

い

に

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

adverb

gradually; little by little; step by step

Describes a slow, steady change over time. Often used with verbs of change like なる, 変わる, 増える, 減る, etc.

空そらが次し第だいに暗くらくなってきた。
The sky gradually grew dark.
彼かれの健けん康こうは次し第だいに回かい復ふくしている。
His health is gradually recovering.

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Usage patterns

次し第だいに〜になるto gradually become ~
空そらが次し第だいに暗くらくなってきた。
The sky gradually became dark.
次し第だいに〈動どう詞し〉てくるto gradually start ~ing (change approaching the speaker)
彼かれの話はなしが次し第だいに分わかってきた。
I gradually started to understand what he was saying.
次し第だいに増ふえる／減へるto gradually increase / decrease
人じん口こうが次し第だいに減へっている。
The population is gradually decreasing.
次し第だいに〜に慣なれるto gradually get used to ~
新あたらしい生せい活かつに次し第だいに慣なれてきた。
I gradually got used to my new life.

Expressions

事ことと次し第だいによってはdepending on the circumstances; if the situation calls for it

Kanji

次next, order, sequence
第No., residence

Related words· 10

徐じょ々じょにN3
徐々に and 次第に both mean 'gradually', but 徐々に leans slightly more formal or written while 次第に is common in everyday speech too.
だんだんN5
だんだん is more casual and conversational than 次第に, which fits both spoken and written contexts.
刻こく一いっ刻こくとN1
次第に means 'gradually', focusing on a slow, steady change over time, whereas 刻一刻と stresses relentless, moment-by-moment progression often with urgency.
徐じょ々じょN3
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.

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刻こっ々こく
次第に describes a slow, gradual change over time, while 刻々 emphasizes rapid, continuous change happening almost moment by moment.
だんだんN5
だんだん is everyday speech, whereas 次第に has a more literary feel and stresses a natural, step-by-step progression.
刻こく一いっ刻こく
次第に describes a natural, step-by-step progression, whereas 刻一刻 highlights the continuous, tick-by-tick passage of time.
漸ぜん次じ
次第に is a broader, conversational word for gradually or as time goes on, whereas 漸次 is limited to formal or written contexts.
日ひに日ひにN1
次第に describes a gradual progression like 日に日に, but it doesn't carry the day-by-day imagery and can describe change over any timescale.
日ひ増ましにN1
次第に means 'gradually' over any timeframe, whereas 日増しに specifically marks change that accrues day by day.

Opposites

急きゅうにN4
急に describes a sudden, abrupt change, while 次第に describes a slow, gradual one.

Don't confuse with

次し第だいN3
次第に looks like 次第 with に attached but is a separate adverb meaning 'gradually,' unlike the suffix 次第 meaning 'depending on' or 'as soon as.'

Word family

次し第だい次し第だいに
gradually; little by little; step by step

Etymology

From 次第 (order, circumstances) + adverbial particle に. The sense of 'gradually' developed from the idea of things proceeding in order or step by step.