Several parts combine into one character.

進 has 辶 (movement / road) for meaning and 隹 (a short-tailed bird) for sound. A bird (隹) flies only forward and cannot back up, so moving forward along a road (辶) — hence "to advance, to proceed, to bring in." A clever character built on a bird's inability to step backward.

The simplified form is 进, with the inner 隹 changed to 井 (well) — the form splits by mode.

Korean hanja-sound "jin": 前進 (jeonjin, advance), 進行 (jinhaeng, progress), 進步 (jinbo, progress), 進化 (jinhwa, evolution), 促進 (chokjin, promotion), 進學 (jinhak, going on to school), 昇進 (seungjin, promotion). It pairs with 退 (to retreat) — 進退 (jintoe).

Mandarin: jìn, 4th tone. 进 (jìn, to enter), 进步 (jìnbù, progress), 前进 (qiánjìn, to advance), 进入 (jìnrù, to enter), 进口 (jìnkǒu, import), 进行 (jìnxíng, to carry out). In modern Chinese 进 (jìn, to enter) pairs with 出 (to exit) as a daily top-frequency word.

Japanese: on-reading シン (shin), kun すす.む (susumu). 進歩 (shinpo, progress), 前進 (zenshin, advance), 進化 (shinka, evolution), 進学 (shingaku, going on to higher school), 行進 (kōshin, a march). 進む (susumu, to advance) is a daily Japanese essential.

Memory aid: a bird (隹) on a road (辶) going only forward — unable to retreat, it advances.