循序渐进

Pronunciation: xún xù jiàn jìn Literal meaning: Follow order and advance gradually

Origin & Usage

This descends from Zhu Xi of the Song dynasty, whose advice on reading insists on following (循) the order (序) and advancing (渐进) by degrees, without skipping ahead to what looks more interesting. The sequence is not arbitrary: each stage is what makes the next legible. Methodical progression, in study or anywhere the stages cannot be safely skipped.

Examples

English: "Learning a language requires a step-by-step approach."

Chinese: 学习语言需要循序渐进的方法。