Grammar › Quantity › 〜ずつ
〜ずつ
"One each", "little by little". ずつ turns an amount into an even share or a steady rate — the same portion, repeated.
The short version
Attach ずつ to an amount to say that amount applies evenly — either "X apiece" (one per person/thing) or "X at a time / at a steady rate". 一つずつ = "one each"; 少しずつ = "little by little".
一つずつ — one each / one at a time
少しずつ — little by little
少しずつ — little by little
By far the most common pairing. It frames change as gradual and steady — a bit at a time, again and again.
少しずつ運動の習慣がね。
Little by little, the exercise habit… (steady, gradual build-up)
毎日少しずつ、こう、顔が変わっていくから。
Because every day, little by little, the face keeps changing. (a bit each day)
少しずつ日本語がわかるようになります。
Little by little, you'll come to understand Japanese. (gradual progress)
ちょっとずつ — the casual version
In relaxed speech ちょっとずつ does the same job as 少しずつ — "bit by bit".
ちょっとずつは給料上がるんですよ。
Your salary does go up bit by bit. (ちょっとずつ = casual 少しずつ)
Watch out
ずつ, not づつ (usually). The modern standard spelling is ずつ. You may occasionally see the old づつ, but ずつ is what you'll want to write.
🗣 Two flavours, one word. With a counter it's "apiece" — 一つずつ取って ("take one each"). With 少し／ちょっと it's "at a steady rate" — 少しずつ ("bit by bit"). Both are just "the same amount, repeated".
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