逐步 and 逐渐
zhú bù and zhú jiàn

The adverbs 逐步 and 逐渐 both indicate that the development or change of something is slow, but they emphasize different things.

1. 逐步 indicates that the development or change is slow, and step by step. It stresses the sense of something being done consciously according to a plan. It usually qualifies a verb or a verbal phrase.
(1) 我们正在逐渐 (逐步) 完善对这项工程的建设。
Wǒ men zhèng zài zhú jiàn (zhú bù) wán shàn duì zhè xiàng gōng chéng de jiàn shè.
We are gradually improving this project.

(2) 两年来，移动公司已经逐步将用户话费下调了60%。
Liǎng nián lái, yí dòng gōng sī yǐ jīng zhú bù jiāng yòng hù huà fèi xià tiáo le 60%.
In the last two years, China Mobile has lowered the telephone rate by 60 %.

(3) 一次又一次的失败让他对自己逐渐失去了信心。
Yí cì yòu yí cì de shī bài ràng tā duì zì jǐ zhú jiàn shī qù le xìn xīn.
Failures are making him lose his confidence.

(4) 随着外交政策的改变，这两个国家之间的关系正在逐步恢复正常。
Suí zhe wài jiāo zhèng cè de gǎi biàn，zhè liǎng gè guó jiā zhī jiān de guān xì zhèng zài zhú bù huī fù zhèngcháng.
As the foreign policy is changing, the two countries' relationships are gradually back to normal.

(5) 中毒以后，他感到眼前的景象逐渐开始模糊，最终什么也看不见了。
Zhòng dú yǐ hòu, tā gǎn dào yǎn qián de jǐng xiàng zhú jiàn kāi shǐ mó hu, zuì zhōng shén me yě kàn bù jiàn le.
Shortly after being poisoned his vision got blurry and soon he could no longer see.

2. 逐渐 indicates that a behavior or a state develops and changes gradually and continuously. Sometimes it implies the meaning of fitting natural process. It can qualify a verb, adjective, or adjectival phrase.
(1) 随着一些事情的发生，我逐渐改变了对他的看法。
Suí zhe yì xiē shì qíng de fā shēng, wǒ zhú jiàn gǎi biàn le duì tā de kàn fǎ.
As things develop, my opinion slowly changes.

(2) 随着时间的推移，我们逐渐不再往来了。
Suí zhe shí jiān de tuī yí，wǒ men zhú jiàn bù zài wǎng lái le.
As time passes we meet eachother less and less.

(3) 夜幕降至。天色逐渐暗了下来。
Yè mù jiàng zhì, tiān sè zhú jiàn àn le xià lái.
As night comes the daylight begins to fade.

(4) 旅游业的兴起让当地人逐渐意识到了一个蕴藏在他们身边的巨大商机。
Lǚ yóu yè de xīng qǐ ràng dāng dì rén zhú jiàn yìshí dào le yí gè yùn cáng zài tā men shēn biān de jù dà shāngjī.
The booming travel industry gives local people a large business opportunity.

1. “逐步”表示事物的发展，变化，一步一步地缓慢进行，特别侧重有意识，有计划，有步骤地进行，一般修饰动词或动词性词语。
2. “逐渐”表示行为状态等缓慢，连续地发展，变化，有时含有符合自然过程的意思，可修饰动词，形容词以及形容词性词语。