[en] Nonlinear equations for the slow space-time evolution of the radial drift-wave envelope and zonal flow amplitude have been self-consistently derived for a model nonuniform tokamak equilibrium within the coherent four-wave drift wave-zonal flow modulation interaction model of Chen, Lin, and White [Phys. Plasmas 7, 3129 (2000)]. Solutions clearly demonstrate turbulence spreading due to nonlinearly dispersiveness and, consequently, the device-size dependence of the saturated wave intensities and transport coefficients