次第 (しだい)depending on; as soon as; immediately after

depending onnoun, used as a suffix
as soon as; immediately after; uponnoun, used as a suffix, noun (common) (futsuumeishi)
as (e.g. "as one is told", "as one wishes"); whatever (e.g. "whatever is at hand")noun, used as a suffix
order; program; programmenoun (common) (futsuumeishi)
circumstances; course of events; state of thingsnoun (common) (futsuumeishi)
reasonnoun (common) (futsuumeishi)

次第, its kanji, and other words that share them.Open this graph

Kanji in 次第

次官じかんvice-minister; undersecretary
事務次官じむじかんpermanent vice-president; undersecretary
次期じきnext term; next period
次々つぎつぎin succession; one by one
次長じちょうvice-chief; vice-director
二次にじsecond
次回じかいnext time (occasion)
次第にしだいにgradually (progress into a state)
第一歩だいいっぽfirst step
第三者だいさんしゃthird party; third person
第一人者だいいちにんしゃleading person; foremost figure
第二次世界大戦だいにじせかいたいせんSecond World War; World War II
第一線だいいっせんthe front (of a battlefield); forefront
第一声だいいっせいfirst words said (e.g. when meeting someone); first thing out of one's mouth
第三国だいさんごくa third country

See how 次第 connects to the rest of Japanese.