jiànjiān

gradually

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Components
氵 meaning component

  Meaning component

shuishuǐ

  

water

is a component form of .

斩 sound component

  Sound component

zhǎn

  

chop

Evolution

渐 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
渐 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
渐 Traditional script Modern

Traditional script

Modern
渐 Simplified script Modern

Simplified script

Modern
Definitions

() 

jiàn

gradually; gradual

() 

jiān

to imbue

Most common words with 渐
Freq.
Word
Meaning

逐渐

gradually

渐渐

gradually

gradual

日渐

more (or better etc) with each passing day

循序渐进

in sequence, step by step (idiom); to make steady progress incrementally