次第に

• 読み: しだいに
• ローマ字: shidaini
• 漢字の分解: 次 (ji/tsugi) — next, following; 第 (dai) — ordinal prefix, order
• 発音: /ɕi.da.i.ni/

意味

Gradually; by degrees; little by little; bit by bit.

An adverb indicating a slow, progressive change over time. More formal and written than だんだん, and often used in literary or academic contexts. Derived from 次第 (order, sequence), which itself can function as a suffix meaning 'depending on.' As an adverb, 次第に focuses purely on the gradual nature of change.

例文

1. 空が次第に暗くなり、やがて雨が降り出した。
2. 練習を重ねるうちに次第にコツがつかめてきた。
3. 彼とは次第に連絡を取らなくなった。

使い方ガイド

場面: writing, narration, description

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

From 次第 (shidai), meaning 'order' or 'sequence,' combined with the particle に. The word originally referred to following a set order, evolving into the sense of gradual progression.

文化的背景

時代: Pre-modern

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal