だんだん
dandan
Moving one step at a time: だんだん
The picture Like climbing a staircase one step at a time, a state shifting by one notch, then another. だんだん moves one step at a time; 急に clears the whole flight in a single jump.
Where the picture shows up in だんだん
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the season, one notch
だんだん寒くなってきました。
dandan samuku natte kimashita
It's gradually got cold.
The clothes you reach for each morning adding a layer: short sleeves, long sleeves, then a coat
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skill, one notch
仕事にだんだん慣れてきました。
shigoto ni dandan narete kimashita
I've gradually got used to the job.
Hands doing the same task hesitating less each day than the day before
Often paired with 慣れてきた.
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numbers, one notch
お客さんがだんだん増えています。
okyaku-san ga dandan fuete imasu
Customer numbers are gradually rising.
The queue outside the shop going two yesterday, four today, six tomorrow
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the body, one notch
熱がだんだん下がってきました。
netsu ga dandan sagatte kimashita
The fever has gradually come down.
The thermometer reading stepping down: 38, 37.5, 37
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the light, one notch
外がだんだん暗くなります。
soto ga dandan kuraku narimasu
It's getting gradually darker outside.
The sky beyond the window deepening a shade at a time as objects in the room lose their outlines one by one
All of it in one picture
One staircase picture and all five line up. The temperature drops a notch and it gets colder; your hands speed up a notch and you get used to the job. Customer numbers climb a notch and business is growing; a fever falls a notch and you're recovering. The light outside the window drops a notch and evening is coming on.