Kanji quizzes for the joy of reading

Tricky readingsPublished 2026-10-23

How do you read 漸次 in Japanese?
A word for change that happens gradually.

Make the words you meet in books your own, one quiz at a time. Discover Japanese kanji readings, meanings and usage with DuraRing.

QUESTION 12Difficulty ★★★

How do you read this in Japanese?

漸次

Think of your answer before you look.

HINTShow hint

It describes something happening little by little. It differs from 暫時, which means “for a short while.”

More on radicals and this quiz’s stroke counts

Describe the shapes you see

You do not need to know the radical’s name. Try these searches for this quiz’s characters.

water radical beside 斬
water radical with 車 and 斤
Japanese reading of 漸 followed by 次

These searches describe visual similarities, not formal radicals or character components.

漸 has the water radical. 次 is classified under 欠, even though its left side resembles the two-stroke ice radical.

漸14 strokes / radical: 水 (water)

次6 strokes / radical: 欠 (yawn)

Stroke counts and radicals follow the Japanese dictionary Kanjipedia; other dictionaries may differ.

Kanjipedia「漸」／ Kanjipedia「次」

ANSWERShow answerHide answer

The answer is

ぜんじ

zenji

漸次

Understand the meaning

English translationGradually / little by little

Gradually or little by little. It can describe either an increase or a decrease: the focus is on change taking place in stages.

Plants of increasing size illustrate gradual growth in a garden bed. — **Small changes build up over time.**AI-generated illustration

See it in a sentence

毎日の練習を続けるうち、読める漢字が漸次増えていった。

As I kept practicing every day, the number of kanji I could read gradually increased.

A way to remember

漸次 is zenji, “gradually”; 暫時 is zanji, “for a short while.” One describes how change progresses, the other a short duration.

Sources：Kanjipedia: 漸次

The explanation draws on the sources below. Examples were written for this page.

The answer and explanation stay hidden until you open them.

How do you look up unfamiliar kanji?

Do you look up kanji like this?

Even without the reading, try radicals, stroke counts, shapes or handwriting.

By radical

shinnyo radical 11 stroke kanji

If you know the radical’s name, such as shinnyō, use a radical index or search. Narrow the list by the remaining strokes.

By total strokes

11 stroke kanji list

If you do not know the radical, count all the strokes and use a stroke-count index. If nothing matches, check your count.

Describe what you see

kanji with two 火 stacked vertically

Try describing the parts, their number and position: ‘fire on the left, … on the right’. A component search such as ‘火火’ can also help.

Use IME Pad (handwriting)

Windows · Microsoft Japanese IME

Switch to Japanese input, then right-click “あ” or “A” on the taskbar.
Open “IME Pad”, choose “Hand Writing” and draw the unfamiliar character.
Choose a matching character, insert it into a search field and look up its reading or meaning.

Microsoft guide: using IME Pad ↗

Unsure of the radical or strokes? Scan it.

For a printed book, scan with DuraRing and check the suggested character, reading and meaning.

Explore scan & lookup

Search examples open results in a new tab. Those results may reveal the reading.

Read and learn with .

Photograph unfamiliar kanji, look them up and save them in the app, linked to your book.A reading app that helps you revisit words in the context of your books.

Capture and look up kanji

夕暮れの部屋で、蝋燭の小さな明かりが揺れていた。机の上に本を開くと、昼間には気づかなかった一節が目に留まった。そのことばを、声に出さずゆっくりと読んだ。

窓の外では、雨が静かに降り始めていた。一ページずつ読み進めるたびに、物語の景色が少しずつ近づいてくる。私は読みかけの場所に指を置き、しばらく思いを巡らせた。

Scan a book page

ろうそく蝋燭

Printed kanji → reading & meaning

Photograph a printed page.Check kanji readings and meanings.

Save words. Connect them to books.

Saved words with their meanings, book covers and page numbers. — Save words

Your bookshelf in the app, connecting saved words with the books you read. — Link to your books

Save readings and meanings with the book and page.Revisit your reading through notes linked to your bookshelf.

① illustrates the capture feature. ② shows actual app screens.

Explore the app Available on iPhone & Android

How do you read this in Japanese?

Describe the shapes you see

Understand the meaning

See it in a sentence

A way to remember

Try another quiz

How do you read this in Japanese?

How do you read this in Japanese?

How do you read this in Japanese?

Do you look up kanji like this?

By radical

By total strokes

Describe what you see

Use IME Pad (handwriting)

Unsure of the radical or strokes? Scan it.

Read and learn with .

Capture and look up kanji

Save words. Connect them to books.