増 means “increase”

ふえる · fueru

Also: add, augment, gain

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

ます, まし, ふえる, ふやす

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ゾウ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 14 strokes

The story

Earth (土) heaped beside 曽, the shape that gives 層 its layers: soil piled layer on layer until the mound grows. 増える is to go up, 増やす to make more, and 増量 on a snack bag means extra for the same price.

Used in 増える (fueru, to increase), 増やす (fuyasu, to add more), and 増加 (zouka, increase)

More from How Much, How Many

• 両 both
• 割 split
• 種 seed
• 程 extent
• 積 pile up
• 単 single
• 類 kind
• 余 surplus
• 等 equal
• 列 row
• 幾 how many
• 全 all

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.