進みます（すすみます、suすmimaす）
- to advance

The Japanese verb 進みます, read as すすみます (susumimasu), primarily means "to advance," "to progress," "to move forward," or "to proceed." It describes the action of going ahead, making progress, or continuing along a path, either literally or figuratively. It often implies a sense of development or improvement, and is a versatile word applicable in many contexts. The meaning of 進みます can vary depending on the context, but it always relates to the idea of moving forward in some way. 進みます is a polite form of 進む (susumu).

⚫︎会議は予定通りに進みます。 Translation: The meeting will proceed as planned. ⚫︎彼は研究を進めています。 Translation: He is progressing with his research. ⚫︎列はゆっくりと進みます。 Translation: The line moves slowly.

You can use 進みます in various situations: ⚫︎ To talk about physical movement, like a car advancing down a road. ⚫︎ To describe the progress of a project or task. ⚫︎ To talk about the development of a skill or understanding. ⚫︎ To describe events proceeding according to plan. The polite form, 進みます, is generally appropriate for most formal and polite conversations. The verb can be used with a variety of adverbs to provide more information about the way something 進むs, such as ゆっくり (slowly), 早く (quickly), or 着実に (steadily).

⚫︎ The word is typically written as 進みます, using the kanji 進 for "advance" or "progress" and the hiragana みます for the polite verb ending. ⚫︎ The base form, 進む (susumu), uses the kanji 進 and hiragana む. ⚫︎ The okurigana (hiragana attached to kanji to indicate the reading and/or grammatical function) is む in the dictionary form, and みます in the polite form.

⚫︎ 進む (susumu): The plain form of 進みます, which means "to advance," "to progress," or "to move forward". ⚫︎ 発展する (hatten suru): To develop or grow. ⚫︎ 向上する (koujou suru): To improve. ⚫︎ 前進する (zenshin suru): To move forward, to advance.

⚫︎ 後退する (kotai suru): To retreat or to move backward. ⚫︎ 遅れる (okureru): To be late, to be delayed. ⚫︎ 止まる (tomaru): To stop.

プロジェクトは順調に進んでいます。 ・Translation: The project is progressing smoothly. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 進んでいます to describe the smooth progress of a project.

この電車は次の駅へと進みます。 ・Translation: This train will proceed to the next station. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the train's movement.

The kanji 進 (shin/susumu) combines the radical 辶, which represents "movement" or "road," with 隹 (sui), which represents "a bird." The original meaning of the character implied a bird that moves forward, hence the connection to "advance" or "progress."