The word 增长 is formed through the combination of two individual characters, each contributing a core meaning that merges to create a new, compound concept. The first character, 增 (zēng), carries the fundamental idea of "to add" or "to increase". It is paired with the second character, 长 (zhǎng), which means "to grow" or "to lengthen". When placed together, they do not simply list two actions; instead, they conceptually fuse to express the notion of progressive, often quantitative, expansion, like a living, accumulating growth. It visually and intellectually suggests an increase that is not static but implies a process of becoming more or larger over time.