基礎英語2 26/1/21(水)L168(3)bit by bit
Please explain the difference between these idioms. bit by bit, little by little
This is a great question. These two phrases are extremely similar and are almost always interchangeable in everyday English. Native speakers often use one or the other without thinking about any difference.
Both phrases mean: Gradually, slowly, or not all at once.
However, if you look very closely, there is a tiny, subtle difference in emphasis.
Here is a breakdown of the nuance between them.
The Short Answer
Bit by bit emphasizes doing something in small, distinct steps, pieces, or segments.
Little by little emphasizes taking a small amount of time to change something continuously or smoothly.
The Detailed Breakdown
1. Bit by bit
Think of the word “bit.” A bit is a small, concrete piece of something larger.
When you use “bit by bit,” you are emphasizing the process of chipping away at a large task through separate, small actions. It often feels a little more methodical or calculated. You can almost count the “bits.”
Focus: Pieces, steps, segments, actions.
Examples where “bit by bit” feels slightly more natural:
Assembling furniture: “It took three hours, but we put the IKEA cabinet together bit by bit.” (Focusing on holding piece A, connecting it to piece B, etc.)
Eating something large: “The sandwich was huge, so the child ate it bit by bit.” (Focusing on individual bite-sized pieces.)
Dismantling something: “They took the old engine apart bit by bit to see what was broken.” (Focusing on removing individual parts.)
- Little by little
Think of the concept of “a little amount.”
When you use “little by little,” you are emphasizing a slow, continuous change over time. It feels smoother, like a gentle slope rather than a set of stairs. It is often used for abstract concepts like feelings, health, or knowledge.
Focus: Time, degree, continuous growth, slow change.
Examples where “little by little” feels slightly more natural:
Learning a language: “Her Japanese is improving little by little.” (It’s hard to point to the exact “bits” she learned today, but over time, there is improvement.)
Healing or health: “After the flu, his strength returned little by little.” (A smooth, gradual return to health.)
Changing emotions: “At first I didn’t like the new boss, but little by little, I started to respect her.” (A slow warming of feelings over time.)
Water rising: “The bathtub filled up little by little.”
-Summary Comparison
To see the difference, let’s look at the same scenario described both ways:
Scenario: Cleaning a very messy garage.
“I cleaned the garage bit by bit.”
Nuance: This sounds like you tackled specific areas one at a time. Maybe on Monday you organized the tools (one bit), on Tuesday you cleared the boxes (another bit), and on Wednesday you swept the floor (the final bit).
“I cleaned the garage little by little.”
Nuance: This sounds more like you just went out there for 10 minutes every day for a month. You didn’t necessarily have a structured plan of attack; you just slowly chipped away at the mess over time until it was done.
The Takeaway: Do not worry too much about choosing the “wrong” one. They are synonyms. But if you want to be precise, use “bit by bit” for distinct steps, and “little by little” for smooth changes over time.
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単語・熟語 発音記号 意味
explain /ɪkˈspleɪn/ 説明する
difference /ˈdɪfərəns/ 違い
idiom /ˈɪdiəm/ 慣用句
bit by bit /bɪt baɪ bɪt/ 少しずつ（段階的に）
little by little /ˈlɪtəl baɪ ˈlɪtəl/ 少しずつ（徐々に）
interchangeable /ˌɪntərˈtʃeɪndʒəbl/ 互換的な
gradually /ˈɡrædʒuəli/ 徐々に
subtle /ˈsʌtl/ 微妙な
emphasis /ˈemfəsɪs/ 強調
nuance /ˈnjuːɑːns/ ニュアンス
distinct /dɪˈstɪŋkt/ はっきり区別できる
step /step/ 段階
segment /ˈseɡmənt/ 部分
concrete /ˈkɒŋkriːt/ 具体的な
chip away at ~ /tʃɪp əˈweɪ æt/ 少しずつ片づける
methodical /məˈθɒdɪkəl/ 手順を踏んだ
continuous /kənˈtɪnjuəs/ 連続的な
abstract /ˈæbstrækt/ 抽象的な
improve /ɪmˈpruːv/ 改善する
scenario /səˈnɑːriəʊ/ 状況
tackle /ˈtækəl/ 取り組む
take away /teɪk əˈweɪ/ 取り除く
synonym /ˈsɪnənɪm/ 同義語
これらのイディオムの違いを説明してください。bit by bit と little by little です。
これはとても良い質問です。この2つの表現は非常によく似ていて、日常英語ではほとんどの場合、互換的に使われます。英語のネイティブスピーカーは、違いをあまり意識せずにどちらかを使うことが多いです。
どちらも意味は「徐々に」「一度にではなく」です。
ただし、よく見ると、強調点にごくわずかな違いがあります。
簡単な答え
bit by bit：小さくはっきりした段階・部分ごとに進めることを強調
little by little：時間をかけて、なめらかに変化していくことを強調
詳しい説明
1. bit by bit
「bit（かけら）」という言葉を考えてください。bit は、より大きなものの中の小さく具体的な一部分です。
bit by bit は、大きな作業を小さな行動に分けて、少しずつ片づけていく過程を強調します。やや計画的・段階的な印象があります。
焦点：部分、段階、行動
（例）
家具の組み立て
「3時間かかったけど、IKEAの棚を bit by bit 組み立てた」
大きな食べ物
「サンドイッチが大きかったので、子どもは bit by bit 食べた」
分解作業
「彼らはエンジンを bit by bit 分解した」
- little by little
「少しずつの量」という概念を考えてください。
little by little は、時間の経過とともに起こる、なめらかで連続的な変化を強調します。感情・健康・知識など、抽象的なものによく使われます。
焦点：時間、程度、継続的な変化
（例）
語学学習
「彼女の日本語は little by little 上達している」
回復
「インフルエンザの後、体力が little by little 戻った」
感情の変化
「最初は新しい上司が好きではなかったが、little by little 尊敬するようになった」
水位
「浴槽に水が little by little たまった」
-まとめ
bit by bit：はっきりした作業単位・段階
little by little：時間とともに進む滑らかな変化
結論：どちらを使ってもほぼ同じ意味なので心配はいりません。ただ、正確さを求めるなら、段階的なら bit by bit、変化なら little by little を使うとよいでしょう。
-語彙クイズ（10問）
Q1. interchangeable の意味は？
a) 交換不可能
b) 互換的な
c) 高価な
d) 古風な
Q2. subtle difference は？
a) 大きな違い
b) 明白な違い
c) 微妙な違い
d) 間違った違い
Q3. bit by bit が強調するのは？
a) 時間
b) 感情
c) 小さな段階
d) 速度
Q4. little by little が自然なのは？
a) 家具の組み立て
b) エンジンの分解
c) 語学の上達
d) ネジを外す作業
Q5. chip away at a task の意味は？
a) 放棄する
b) 一気に終わらせる
c) 少しずつ進める
d) 失敗する
Q6. methodical に最も近い意味は？
a) 適当な
b) 計画的な
c) 急な
d) 感情的な
Q7. continuous change は？
a) 突然の変化
b) 連続的な変化
c) 不可能な変化
d) 逆の変化
Q8. abstract concept の例は？
a) 椅子
b) 本
c) 感情
d) ハンマー
Q9. scenario の意味は？
a) 物語
b) 状況
c) 人物
d) 結論
Q10. 本文の結論として正しいのは？
a) 2語は全く違う
b) 使い分けは必須
c) ほぼ同義語
d) どちらも間違い
-TOEIC形式問題（5問）
Q1. According to the passage, how are the two idioms usually used?
a) Very differently
b) Only in writing
c) Almost interchangeably
d) Only by learners
Q2. What does bit by bit mainly emphasize?
a) Time
b) Distinct steps
c) Emotions
d) Speed
Q3. Which situation best fits little by little?
a) Assembling furniture
b) Eating a sandwich
c) Learning a language
d) Taking apart an engine
Q4. Why shouldn’t learners worry too much about choosing between the two?
a) Both are rare
b) Both are incorrect
c) They are synonyms
d) Native speakers avoid them
Q5. What is the author’s main purpose?
a) To criticize idioms
b) To explain a subtle difference
c) To introduce slang
d) To test grammar
-読解問題（英語・3問）
Q1. What is the main difference in emphasis between bit by bit and little by little?
Q2. Why is little by little often used with abstract concepts?
Q3. In the garage-cleaning example, how does the nuance change between the two expressions?
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