足し (たし, tashi) Japanese meaning: supplement | KotomoraExpressions
腹の足しsomething to fill one's stomach; a bite to eat 足しにするsupplement; make up for a shortfall; put towards 足しになるbe of help; be useful; go toward 足して二で割るcombine and average; compromise; split the difference
This income helps supplement the household budget.
足 (あし) means 'foot' or 'leg' and is completely unrelated in meaning to 足し (たし), despite sharing the same kanji.
足す is the verb meaning 'to add', while 足し is its noun form referring to something that supplements or helps make up a shortfall.
Word family· 8
addition
addition; supplement; appendix; postscript
adding to; extending; topping up
running errands; going on errands · taking care of business; doing business · going to the toilet; doing one's business · purveyor; purveying
supplement; addition; extra amount
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Written forms
足しUsage88%
Standard kanji spelling for this noun.
たしUsage12%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
Etymology
Derived from the verb 足す (たす, 'to add'), nominalized as 足し. The kanji 足 carries the meaning of 'sufficiency' or 'adding'.
