Meaning of 逐步
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- progressively
- step by step
How to use 逐步
逐步 is an adverb placed before a verb to show a planned or steady process, and it is common in news, reports and formal speech. Example: 情况正在逐步改善。(Qíngkuàng zhèngzài zhúbù gǎishàn.) The situation is improving step by step.
逐 (zhú) means one after another, and 步 (bù) means step, the same 步 you see in 散步 (sànbù) and 跑步 (pǎobù). Put them together and you get one step after another, so step by step.
Common mistake: Learners often swap 逐步 and 逐渐 (zhújiàn) freely. 逐步 suggests deliberate, staged action, like 逐步推广 (to roll out step by step). 逐渐 describes natural change, like 天逐渐黑了 (it gradually got dark), where 逐步 sounds odd.
逐步 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
逐 zhú · to pursue · 10 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 7
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- 9
- 10
步 bù · a step · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
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- 7
Related words
Words that share a character with 逐步.
| 散步 | sànbù | to take a walk; to go for a walk |
| 进步 | jìnbù | progress; improvement; to improve; to progress |
| 进一步 | jìnyībù | to go a step further; (develop, understand, improve etc) more; further |
| 跑步 | pǎobù | to run; to jog |
| 初步 | chūbù | initial; preliminary |
| 逐渐 | zhújiàn | gradually |
| 步行 | bùxíng | to go on foot; to walk |
| 脚步 | jiǎobù | footstep; step |
| 地步 | dìbù | stage; degree (to which a situation has evolved); a (usu. bad) situation |
| 追逐 | zhuīzhú | to chase; to pursue vigorously |
| 驱逐 | qūzhú | to expel; to deport |
| 步骤 | bùzhòu | procedure; step |
Questions about 逐步
What does 逐步 mean?
逐步 (zhúbù) means "progressively; step by step" and is used as a adverb.
How do you write 逐步?
逐步 is made of 2 characters: 逐 (10 strokes), 步 (7 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 逐步 an HSK word?
Yes. 逐步 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I use 逐步 in casual conversation?
You can, but it sounds a bit formal. In everyday speech people often say 慢慢 (mànmàn) or 一步一步 (yí bù yí bù) instead.
What kinds of verbs usually follow 逐步?
It often goes with verbs of development or change, such as 提高 (tígāo, to raise), 扩大 (kuòdà, to expand), 实现 (shíxiàn, to achieve) and 完善 (wánshàn, to perfect). For example, 逐步提高水平 means to raise the level step by step.