How to say "slowly" in Japanese

• ゆっくりJLPT N5approx.Common
  adverb (with と), suru verbThe basic word for the plain sense of 'slowly': doing something at an unhurried, leisurely pace, without haste. It is what you want for everyday instructions like taking your time or moving without rushing.
  ゆっくりでも着実ちゃくじつにやってゆけば勝負しょうぶには勝かつ。↗

  Slow and steady wins the race.
• ジワジワCommon
  adverb (with と)Not pace-of-action slowness but slow, steady progression: something advances or builds gradually, bit by bit. Think of pressure or change that creeps along persistently rather than an action done slowly.
• ぐずぐずCommon
  adverb (with と), suru verbSlowness with a critical edge: dawdling, dithering, lingering instead of getting on with it. For 'slowly' meaning 'tardily' or 'stop stalling', this is the word; it implies the slowness is a fault.
  何なんをぐずぐずしてるの？↗

  What's taking you so long?
• のろのろJLPT N2approx.Common
  adverb (with と), suru verbDescribes sluggish, crawling movement: a person or vehicle inching along far too slowly. Use it for slow motion rather than slow, unhurried action — the nuance is sluggishness, not leisure.
  タクシーはカタツムリと同おなじくらいのろのろ進すすんでいるように思おもえた。↗

  The taxi seemed to go as slowly as a snail.
• 漸次ぜんじCommon
  adverb, no-adjectiveReally means 'gradually' or 'little by little': step-by-step, incremental change over time. For the plain pace sense of 'slowly' it is seldom the word you want — choose it only when you mean gradual progression.

Use 「ゆっくり」 for plain unhurried slowness, 「のろのろ」 for sluggish movement, 「ぐずぐず」 for dawdling, 「ジワジワ」 for slow-but-steady progression, and 漸次 for gradual, incremental change.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ゆっくりslowly
• じわじわslowly (but steadily)
• ぐずぐずslowly
• のろのろslowly
• 漸次ぜんじgradually
• 徐々にじょじょにgradually
• じりじりslowly (but steadily)
• ぼちぼちleisurely
• ゆるゆるvery loose
• ゆるりunhurriedly
• もたもたslowly
• やおらslowly
• のそりのそりslowly
• のたりのたりslowly (of undulating waves)
• のぞのぞslowly
• もっそりslowly
• ごゆっくりslowly
• のろくさslowly
• のろりslowly
• もそりslowly
• じりっslowly (but steadily)
• じんわりgradually (progressing)
• のっそりsluggishly
• しずしずquietly
• のたりrelaxedly
• スローテンポslow tempo
• ずるずる(dragging a large or heavy item) slowly
• のそのそ(move) slowly (e.g. walk)
• そろそろslowly
• 遅くおそくslowly
• おもむろにslowly
• しっぽりslowly
• むっくりslowly (rising)
• しんねりslowly
• ムクとslowly (rising)
• のたのたslowly (moving)
• もぞもぞhesitantly
• うじゃうじゃtediously
• もったりsluggishly
• ぐじぐじtardily
• ぽてぽて(walking) slowly
• だらだらleisurely