Chinese word

徐徐

Pronunciation

Pinyinxú xú

Meaning

  • adverbgradually

Example

太阳徐徐落下。tài yáng xú xú luò xià

The sun gradually set.

Illustration for 徐徐 (gradually)

More examples

微风徐徐吹来。wēi fēng xú xú chuī lái

A gentle breeze slowly blew in.

Core concept

A movement or change unfolds at an unhurried pace, in smooth stages rather than all at once.

Common phrases

  • 徐徐落下xú xú luò xià

    fall gradually

  • 徐徐升起xú xú shēng qǐ

    rise slowly

  • 徐徐前行xú xú qián xíng

    advance slowly

Similar words

逐渐zhú jiàn: By degrees, showing a gradual change or increase in level.
慢慢màn màn: At a slow pace, describing how an action is done in casual speech.
渐渐jiàn jiàn: Gradually over time, as a condition or situation slowly changes.
逐步zhú bù: In successive steps that follow a clear order or process.

Definition in Chinese

表示动作或状态以缓慢的速度、逐步发生或进行的副词。biǎo shì dòng zuò huò zhuàng tài yǐ huǎn màn de sù dù zhú bù fā shēng huò jìn xíng de fù cí

Word origin

徐 (xú, "slow") is repeated in 徐徐 (xúxú, "slowly, gradually"), turning the basic idea of slowness into a steady adverbial description of unfolding movement.

Usage tips

  • 徐徐 (xúxú, "slowly, gradually") often has a literary or descriptive tone, so it is especially useful for understanding calm scene-setting in written Chinese and narration.

Other meanings

  • slowlyadverb
  • gentlyadverb

Opposites

Related words

  • 徐行xú xíngtravel slowlyverb
  • 徐缓xú huǎnunhurriedadjective

Word lists with this word