かさむ

か

さ

む

JLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb

usually written using kana alone

Describes something, often undesirable, growing larger in quantity, bulk, or cost. Commonly used for expenses, work, or physical volume.

仕し事ごとがかさんで、休やすむ暇ひまもない。

Work has accumulated and I have no time to rest.

かさむUsage89%
It is usually written in kana. The kanji form 嵩む is also used but less common.
嵩かさむUsage11%
Kanji form; the character 嵩 means 'bulk' or 'volume', fitting the sense of swelling or increasing in amount.

増ふえる
増える is a general verb for 'increase' in number or amount, while かさむ emphasizes a burdensome or bulky accumulation, often of expenses or volume.
積つもる
積もる means 'to pile up' physically (like snow) or metaphorically (like feelings), whereas かさむ focuses on swelling in amount or cost, often with a negative nuance.

Derived from the noun 嵩 (かさ, 'bulk, volume'), with the verb-forming suffix む. The core idea is something swelling or increasing in bulk.