Aug 24, 2020
1184/2000
JLPT: N1
School Grade: Junior high school
This character is a combination of 氵 water and 斬 behead/kill. 斬 is a phonetic element signaling the on’yomi, but also carries a meaning of sharp edged tool and to cut in/wedge oneself in. 漸 signifies going ahead and advancing gradually.
Another explanation is that 漸 was used as a proper noun to refer to a river in Ancient china. This river was likely associated with flowing swiftly and powerfully. Over time the connotation of “rapidly advance” became “gradually advance.”