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March 24, 2026
增zēng(zeng1)
The character 增 (zēng) means 'to increase' or 'to add.' It is commonly used in contexts related to growth, such as increasing numbers, expanding amounts, or augmenting resources. This verb conveys a sense of enhancement or improvement and is often used in both formal and informal settings.
Strokes15Radical土Frequency#7888DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 增 is often tied to prosperity and success, especially in business settings. People frequently discuss 增长 (zēngzhǎng), meaning 'growth,' particularly during economic discussions or company presentations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a garden where you '增' (zēng) plants by adding new flowers. The character 增 has a radical for 'earth' (土) at the bottom, symbolizing the ground where things grow and increase. Picture the flowers blooming, representing the idea of growth and increase.
Meanings of 增
zēng(zeng1)
1to increase
2to expand
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 增
增Simplified
15Strokes
土Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#7888Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 增
Podcast: 增
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AI Study Notes for 增
Quick Contrast
增加 (zēngjiā) vs 增长 (zēngzhǎng) — use 增 when referring to the act of adding or increasing something, while 增长 emphasizes the growth or development over time.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a garden where you '增' (zēng) plants by adding new flowers. The character 增 has a radical for 'earth' (土) at the bottom, symbolizing the ground where things grow and increase. Picture the flowers blooming, representing the idea of growth and increase.
Usage Notes
Learners may confuse 增 with 量 (liàng), which means 'quantity.' It’s important to remember that 增 emphasizes the act of increasing rather than just measuring. Be cautious with tones; using a low tone can change the intended meaning.
HSK Study Tips
While 增 is not currently listed in the HSK levels, it is a useful verb for learners to know, especially when discussing statistics or personal development. Students should focus on collocations such as 增加 (zēngjiā) for 'to increase' and the contexts in which it can be used.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 增 is often tied to prosperity and success, especially in business settings. People frequently discuss 增长 (zēngzhǎng), meaning 'growth,' particularly during economic discussions or company presentations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 增 (zēng) with 增加 (zēngjiā). For example, saying '我增了我的工作' (Wǒ zēng le wǒ de gōngzuò) is incorrect; it should be '我增加了我的工作' (Wǒ zēngjiā le wǒ de gōngzuò) to mean 'I added to my work.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 增
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Grammar Patterns of 增
增 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Only about a third of the reinforcements will be regular troops.
7
利率有望早日下调，从而增强了人们的信心。
lì shuài yǒu wàng zǎo rì xià tiáo， ， cóng ér zēng qiáng le rén mén de xìn。
Hopes of an early cut in interest rates bolstered confidence.
8
税赋的增加为这个企业敲响了丧钟。
shuì fù de zēng jiā wéi zhè gè qǐ yè qiāo xiǎng le sāng zhōng。
The tax increase sounded the death knell for the business.
9
这是否是原本良好的增长曲线中暂时的偏离？
zhè shì fǒu shì yuán běn liáng hǎo de zēng cháng qū xiàn zhōng zàn shí de piān lí？
Was it just a temporary blip on an otherwise healthy growth curve?
10
最近暴力行为激增，这已经打击了公众的信心。
zuì jìn bào lì háng wéi jī zēng， ， zhè yǐ jīng dǎ jī le gōng zhòng de xìn。
The recent spurt in violence has demoralised the public.
Cultural Notes for 增
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 增 is often tied to prosperity and success, especially in business settings. People frequently discuss 增长 (zēngzhǎng), meaning 'growth,' particularly during economic discussions or company presentations.
Word Family of 增
Words Containing This Character20
增加zēngjiāto raise
增长zēngzhǎngto grow增長
增强zēngqiángto increase增強
增zēngto add
增援to reinforce
增大zēngdàto enlarge
增多zēngduōto increase
增添zēngtiānto add
新增newly added
增进zēngjìnto promote增進
增高to heighten
增值zēngzhíto increase in value
增幅growth rate
增长率growth rate (esp. in economics)增長率
增产zēngchǎnto increase production增產
增色to enrich
增生proliferation
激增to shoot up
增殖growth
增压to boost增壓
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 增加 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 增
Yes, 增 (zēng) is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts. It is often found in academic writing, business documents, and everyday conversation when discussing growth or improvement. Its versatility makes it a key character in the Chinese language.
Some synonyms for 增 (zēng) include 提高 (tígāo), which means 'to raise' or 'to elevate', and 扩大 (kuòdà), meaning 'to expand'. These words can be used interchangeably in certain contexts, but the specific choice may depend on the nuance of the increase being described.
增 (zēng) means 'to increase' or 'to add' in Chinese. It is often used in contexts where something is being expanded or augmented, such as increasing numbers, quantities, or levels of something. This character is commonly used in both spoken and written language.
You can use 增 (zēng) in sentences to indicate an increase or addition. For example, '我们需要增进沟通' (We need to increase communication) or '他的收入在增' (His income is increasing). It can be paired with other words to specify what is being increased.
You can use 增 to indicate an increase, such as in '销售额增加了' (Xiāoshòu'é zēngjiā le) meaning 'Sales have increased.'
Yes, 增 is suitable for both formal and informal contexts, but it's commonly found in written language, such as reports or academic papers.
Common phrases include 增加 (zēngjiā, to increase), 增长 (zēngzhǎng, to grow), and 增益 (zēngyì, to gain).
