And from there: taking the next step with 进而
进而 links a first step to a further step that builds on it: first understand the customer, and from there improve the product. The second step must go beyond the first; for a simple “and then”, use 然后.
Structure
（先）+ 甲，进而 + 乙（在甲的基础上更进一步）
Explanation
Chinese words in this text can be activated to show a dictionary gloss.
is a written conjunction meaning “and on that basis, going further”. The first clause describes something achieved or done; the second describes a more advanced step that it makes possible: ， “We should first understand what customers need and then, on that basis, improve our products.” in the first clause is a frequent partner.
Two conditions make it correct. The steps must be connected — the second has to grow out of the first, not merely follow it in time. And the second must be bigger, deeper or more general: ， moves from speaking to writing; a sentence that moves from writing back down to listening would go the wrong way.
For events that just happen one after another, is out of place: ， is wrong, and the natural word is . opens the second clause and never the first, and when the subject is shared it is not repeated after .
In essays and reports, often describes a chain of influence: ，.
Correct
Say each one out loud before moving on. The audio is a reference pronunciation, not a model to imitate exactly — match the tone contour, not the voice.
我们应该先了解顾客的需要，进而改进我们的产品。我們應該先了解顧客的需要，進而改進我們的產品。
Wǒmen (third tone, dipping) yīnggāi (first tone, high and level) xiān (first tone, high and level) liǎojiě (third tone, dipping) gùkè (fourth tone, falling) de (neutral tone) xūyào, (first tone, high and level) jìn (fourth tone, falling) ér (second tone, rising) gǎijìn (third tone, dipping) wǒmen (third tone, dipping) de (neutral tone) chǎnpǐn. (third tone, dipping)···
We should first understand what customers need and, on that basis, improve our products.
他先学会了听和说，进而开始练习写作。他先學會了聽和說，進而開始練習寫作。
Tā (first tone, high and level) xiān (first tone, high and level) xuéhuì (second tone, rising) le (neutral tone) tīng (first tone, high and level) hé (second tone, rising) shuō, (first tone, high and level) jìn (fourth tone, falling) ér (second tone, rising) kāishǐ (first tone, high and level) liànxí (fourth tone, falling) xiězuò. (third tone, dipping)···
He first learned to understand and speak, and from there moved on to practising writing.
这个发现引起了很多人的注意，进而促进了整个研究的发展。這個發現引起了很多人的注意，進而促進了整個研究的發展。
Zhège (fourth tone, falling) fāxiàn (first tone, high and level) yǐnqǐ (third tone, dipping) le (neutral tone) hěn (third tone, dipping) duō (first tone, high and level) rén (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) zhùyì, (fourth tone, falling) jìn (fourth tone, falling) ér (second tone, rising) cùjìn (fourth tone, falling) le (neutral tone) zhěnggè (third tone, dipping) yánjiū (second tone, rising) de (neutral tone) fāzhǎn. (first tone, high and level)···
The discovery drew wide attention and, in turn, advanced the whole field of research.
Incorrect — Common mistakes
These sentences are wrong. They are printed here on purpose, each one paired with the repair and the reason, because the error you can recognise is the error you stop making.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 他先吃了饭，进而去看电影。
Correct
Correct sentence: 他先吃了饭，然后去看电影。
Why: Eating and then seeing a film are only consecutive. 进而 needs a second step that builds on the first; here 然后 is right.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 进而改进产品，我们先要了解顾客的需要。
Correct
Correct sentence: 我们先要了解顾客的需要，进而改进产品。
Why: 进而 opens the second clause; the first step has to come first.
Not quite
Incorrect sentence: 他先学会了写文章，进而学会了写汉字。
Correct
Correct sentence: 他先学会了写汉字，进而学会了写文章。
Why: The step after 进而 must go further. Writing whole texts builds on writing characters, not the other way round.
Compared with
Most errors with this pattern are not errors about this pattern — they are a neighbouring pattern arriving at the wrong moment. Read these side by side.
先…然后… only orders events in time. 先…进而… adds that the second event depends on the first and goes further. Every 进而 sentence could be rewritten with 然后 and lose some meaning; very few 然后 sentences could be rewritten with 进而.
Steps in order: 先…然后…再… →Often confused with
Finding the error: where the subject goes with 不但…而且
主语 + 不但 + 甲，而且 + 乙（主语相同） ｜ 不但 + 主语一 + 甲，而且 + 主语二 + 也 + 乙（主语不同）
More →Mini quiz
Question 1 / 3Total score: 0
Which sentence uses 进而 correctly?