着々
ちゃくちゃく · chakuchaku · JLPT N2 · adverb
steadily
着 = arrive; the 々 mark repeats it: arrive, then arrive again, step by step
The 々 mark repeats the kanji before it, so 着々 is 着 (reach, arrive) doubled. Each step arrives on time, one after another, which is steady progress.
着 — sheep 羊 (top) + eye 目 (bottom)
着 originated as a variant of 著, which depicted plants emerging visibly above ground (grass radical 艹 over 者). Over time 着 split off to carry meanings like 'attach,' 'wear,' or a verb suffix marking ongoing action (zhe), while 著 kept senses like 'manifest' or 'author.'