渐渐 / 逐渐【jiànjiàn / zhújiàn】

渐渐 and 逐渐 mean "gradually". They go before a verb or adjective that describes a change, and the sentence usually ends in 了 or carries a change verb such as 变, 习惯 or 提高.

渐渐 or 逐渐

渐渐 is neutral and common in stories. It can take 地 and stand at the very start of the sentence, before the subject. 逐渐 is more written – reports, news, essays – and goes straight before the verb, after the subject.

• × 逐渐地，雨停了 → 渐渐地，雨停了

It needs a change

A verb or adjective that describes no change has nothing for 渐渐 to describe.

• × 他渐渐是老师 → 他渐渐成了一名好老师
• × 我渐渐很忙 → 我渐渐忙起来了

渐渐 or 慢慢

慢慢 also means "slowly" and can describe an action you do on purpose, including in a request. 渐渐 describes change that happens by itself, so it never goes in an instruction.

• × 你渐渐吃 → 你慢慢吃