Chinese word

缓缓

Pronunciation

Pinyinhuǎn huǎn

Meaning

  • adverbgradually

Example

阳光缓缓洒在地上。yáng guāng huán huǎn sǎ zài dì shàng

Sunlight gradually spreads across the ground.

Illustration for 缓缓 (gradually)

More examples

列车缓缓驶入站台。liè chē huán huǎn shǐ rù zhàn tái

The train slowly pulls into the platform.

Core concept

Something unfolds little by little in a smooth, measured flow rather than arriving all at once.

Common phrases

  • 缓缓走来huán huǎn zǒu lái

    come walking slowly

  • 缓缓升起huán huǎn shēng qǐ

    go up slowly

  • 缓缓开口huán huǎn kāi kǒu

    start speaking slowly

Similar words

慢慢màn màn: Describes an action or change that moves slowly and takes time, in everyday language.
逐渐zhú jiàn: Shows a condition or degree changing little by little as time passes.
逐步zhú bù: Shows progress moving forward step by step through an ordered series of stages.
缓慢huǎn màn: Describes motion or progress happening at a slow pace.

Definition in Chinese

表示动作或变化以缓慢速度逐步发生并持续的副词，常作状语出现在描写或正式语体中。biǎo shì dòng zuò huò biàn huà yǐ huǎn màn sù dù zhú bù fā shēng bìng chí xù de fù cí cháng zuò zhuàng yǔ chū xiàn zài miáo xiě huò zhèng shì yú tǐ zhōng

Word origin

The reduplicated form 缓缓 (huǎnhuǎn, "slowly and steadily") comes from 缓 (huǎn, "slow"), with repetition highlighting a sustained gradual motion.

Usage tips

  • For a conversational course, this word is useful for recognizing descriptive language in signs, subtitles, and stories even when a different expression would sound more casual in speech.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word