making the numbers balance; number-juggling; padding the numbers
Often implies adjusting or manipulating figures to meet a target, or including extra people/items just to reach a required count. Can be used in contexts like vote-gathering, budgeting, or team formation.
We struggled to make the budget numbers balance.
He was put on the team just to make up the numbers.
Standard kanji spelling.
Variant with せ in kana; less common but acceptable.
Compound of 数 (かず, 'number') and 合わせ (あわせ, 'matching' or 'adjusting'), from the verb 合わせる (あわせる, 'to match').