Chinese Grammar Reference logo

    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'day by day' with 一天天 (yī tiān tiān)

    Aspect & Tense
    Sequence & Order
    Time Expressions

    Structure

    一天天 + Verb

    Explanation

    一天天 (yī tiān tiān) means "day by day" and expresses a gradual progression over time. It emphasizes that something is changing or accumulating slowly with each passing day. Place it before a verb to describe an ongoing, incremental process.

    Examples

    • 天气一天天变暖了，春天快到了。

      tiānqì yī tiān tiān biàn nuǎn le, chūntiān kuài dào le.

      The weather is getting warmer day by day; spring is almost here.

    • 孩子一天天长大，我心里既高兴又感慨。

      háizi yī tiān tiān zhǎng dà, wǒ xīnlǐ jì gāoxìng yòu gǎnkǎi.

      The child is growing up day by day; I feel both happy and nostalgic.

    • 他的中文一天天进步，现在已经能跟人聊天了。

      tā de zhōngwén yī tiān tiān jìnbù, xiànzài yǐjīng néng gēn rén liáotiān le.

      His Chinese is improving day by day; now he can already chat with people.

    Similar Grammar

    Often Confused With

    Expressing 'day by day' with 一天天 (yī tiān tiān) | Chinese Grammar