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Kotomora

增

increase, add to, augment

StatusJinmeiyō (variant)Strokes15

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゾウ
  • ソウ

Kun'yomi

  • ます
  • ふえる
  • ふやす

Meaning

增 centers on making something larger in amount, number, or degree: increasing, adding to, or augmenting what already exists.

Study

Etymology

增 combines 土 (earth) with 曾, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of layering or adding. The character expresses increasing or augmenting, perhaps originally by piling up earth.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side is earth 土, and the right side 曾 suggests piling up. Picture adding more soil to a mound, increasing its size layer by layer.

Reading mnemonic

For ゾウ, imagine a zō (象, elephant) adding its weight to a pile of earth, making it increase: zō -> ゾウ.