增

zēng

土 + 曾

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

zēng (verb) to increase; to add

zēng (verb) to expand

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 曾 represents the sound.

Semantic: 土 Phonetic: 曾

About

A phonosemantic compound with 土 (earth) on the left providing the meaning and 曾 on the right giving the sound, 增 originally depicted piling up soil or adding layers of earth to form a mound. From this literal accumulation of dirt, its meaning extended to increase, addition, or expansion in general. In modern vocabulary it widely denotes growth, augmentation, and quantitative additions across fields like economics, mathematics, and metrics.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我们增加了产量。

Wǒmen zēngjiā le chǎnliàng.

We increased production.

人口增长很快。

Rénkǒu zēngzhǎng hěn kuài.

The population growth is fast.

锻炼可以增强体质。

Duànliàn kěyǐ zēngqiáng tǐzhì.

Exercise can strengthen physical fitness.

学习能增进知识。

Xuéxí néng zēngjìn zhīshi.

Learning can enhance knowledge.

房地产价值增值了。

Fángdìchǎn jiàzhí zēngzhí le.

The real estate value has appreciated.

今年利润增幅很大。

Jīnnián lìrùn zēngfú hěn dà.

This year's profit growth rate is very high.

军队需要增援部队。

Jūnduì xūyào zēngyuán bùduì.

The army needs reinforcing troops.

通过技术创新来增加市场份额是公司的战略。

Tōngguò jìshù chuàngxīn lái zēngjiā shìchǎng fèn'é shì gōngsī de zhànlüè.

Increasing market share through technological innovation is the company's strategy.

Related Characters

Component: 土

Component: 曾

增