増加
増加 en 30 segundos
- 増加 (zouka) means 'increase' or 'growth' in a formal, quantitative context.
- It is commonly used for statistics like population, sales, and data.
- Grammatically, it functions as a noun or a suru-verb (増加する).
- The opposite of 増加 is 減少 (genshou), which means 'decrease'.
The Japanese word 増加 (zouka) is a fundamental noun and suru-verb that translates to "increase," "growth," or "rise." At its core, it represents a quantitative change where the number, amount, or volume of something becomes larger than it was before. Unlike the more casual verb 増える (fueru), 増加 carries a more formal, objective, and often statistical nuance. It is the go-to term when discussing data, population trends, economic shifts, or scientific observations. When you look at a graph and the line goes up, you are witnessing 増加. The term is composed of two kanji: 増 (to increase/multiply) and 加 (to add/append). Together, they form a powerful concept of cumulative growth. In a linguistic sense, 増加 is versatile because it can function as a standalone noun (e.g., "the increase in population") or as a verb when paired with する (e.g., "the population is increasing"). It is essential for learners to understand that while 増える is used in everyday speech for things like "my friends increased," 増加 is preferred in professional reports, news broadcasts, and academic writing to describe "an increase in the number of foreign tourists."
- Grammatical Category
- Noun, Suru-verb (Intransitive/Transitive depending on context, though usually intransitive in statistical contexts).
- Core Nuance
- Formal, quantitative, and objective rise in measurable units.
- Common Subjects
- Population, sales, temperature, frequency, percentage, volume.
最近、この町の人口が急激に増加しています。
Recently, the population of this town has been increasing rapidly.
売上の増加を目指して、新しい戦略を立てる。
We will create a new strategy aiming for an increase in sales.
利用者の増加に伴い、サーバーを強化した。
With the increase in users, we strengthened the server.
輸出量が前年比で5%増加した。
The export volume increased by 5% compared to the previous year.
犯罪の増加が社会問題になっている。
The increase in crime is becoming a social problem.
- Visualizing Zouka
- Imagine a bar chart where the bars are progressively taller. That vertical movement is 増加.
Using 増加 (zouka) correctly requires an understanding of its grammatical flexibility. As a noun, it often takes the particle の to modify other nouns or follows a possessive structure. For example, 「人口の増加」 (jinkou no zouka) means "increase in population." As a suru-verb, it typically follows the pattern [Subject] が 増加する. It is rarely used with the particle を unless you are actively causing an increase in a very specific technical context, but even then, 増やす (fuyasu) is more common for transitive actions. In most cases, 増加する describes a phenomenon that is occurring. To describe the speed or nature of the increase, you can use adverbs like 急激に (kyuugeki ni - rapidly), 徐々に (jojo ni - gradually), or 大幅に (oohaba ni - significantly). Furthermore, 増加 is often paired with the particle に転じる (ni tenjiru) to mean "turn to an increase" after a period of decline. In business Japanese, you will frequently see it in the form 増加傾向にある (zouka keikou ni aru), meaning "to be on an upward trend." This phrase is incredibly useful for presentations and reports. Another key structure is [Number] 増加する, where the number acts as an adverbial phrase, such as 「10%増加した」 (increased by 10%). Understanding these collocations allows a learner to move from simple sentences to complex, professional descriptions of data and trends.
You will encounter 増加 in various formal and semi-formal environments. First and foremost, it is a staple of NHK News and Japanese newspapers like the Asahi Shimbun. Whenever the government releases statistics regarding the birth rate, elderly population, or economic growth, 増加 is the primary term used. In the corporate world, during quarterly meetings or annual reports, managers will discuss the 「売上の増加」 (increase in sales) or 「顧客数の増加」 (increase in customer numbers). If you are a student in Japan, you will see this word in textbooks for social studies, geography, and economics. It also appears in weather forecasts when discussing an 「雨量の増加」 (increase in rainfall) or 「紫外線の増加」 (increase in UV rays). In public announcements, you might hear about an 「交通量の増加」 (increase in traffic volume) during holiday seasons like Golden Week. Even in healthcare, doctors might discuss the 「体重の増加」 (increase in body weight) in a clinical context, whereas they might use 太る (futoru - to get fat) in a casual conversation. Essentially, if the context involves data, measurement, or a serious tone, 増加 is the word you will hear.
The most common mistake learners make is using 増加 in overly casual or personal contexts. For instance, saying 「友達が増加した」 (My friends increased) sounds very strange, almost as if you are treating your friends like a statistical data point. In this case, 「友達が増えた」 (Tomodachi ga fueta) is the natural choice. Another mistake is confusing 増加 with 増大 (zoudai). While both mean increase, 増大 is often used for abstract things like "influence," "power," "pressure," or "risk" (e.g., 不信感の増大 - increase in distrust), whereas 増加 is strictly for things that can be counted or measured numerically. Additionally, learners sometimes forget that 増加 is usually intransitive. You shouldn't say 「私は売上を増加した」 to mean "I increased the sales"; instead, use 「売上を増やした」 (uriage o fuyashita) or 「売上を増加させた」 (uriage o zouka saseta - causative). Lastly, be careful with the antonym. The opposite of 増加 is 減少 (genshou). Using 減る (heru) as a noun (like 「減るがあった」) is grammatically incorrect; you must use the formal noun 減少 to match the formal tone of 増加.
To truly master 増加, you must distinguish it from its synonyms. 増える (fueru) is the most common synonym; it is a native Japanese verb (kun-yomi) used in daily life for almost anything that gets more numerous. 上昇 (joushou) means "rise" or "ascent" and is used for things that go up in level or position, like prices (物価), temperature (気温), or status. You wouldn't say "population joushou" unless you mean the population level is rising on a scale. 拡大 (kakudai) means "expansion" and is used when the physical size, area, or scope increases, such as 「事業の拡大」 (expansion of business). 増量 (zouryou) is specifically for an increase in weight or quantity of a physical substance, often seen on food packaging (e.g., 20%増量 - 20% more volume). 増殖 (zoushoku) refers to multiplication or proliferation, often used in biology for cells or bacteria, or metaphorically for things spreading rapidly. Understanding these nuances helps you choose the precise word for the situation. While 増加 is a safe "middle-ground" formal word for numbers, choosing 拡大 for business scale or 上昇 for prices will make your Japanese sound much more natural and advanced.
How Formal Is It?
Nivel de dificultad
Gramática que debes saber
~に伴い (ni tomonai - as/along with)
~につれて (ni tsurete - as/in proportion to)
~傾向にある (keikou ni aru - to have a tendency to)
~一途をたどる (itto o tadoru - to continue to...)
~により (ni yori - due to)
Ejemplos por nivel
人口が増加しています。
The population is increasing.
Simple [Subject] ga [Verb] structure.
車の数が増加した。
The number of cars increased.
Past tense of zouka suru.
テストの点数が増加した。
The test scores increased.
Zouka used for numerical scores.
本が増加しています。
The books are increasing.
Continuous state (~te iru).
売上の増加は良いことです。
An increase in sales is a good thing.
Zouka as a noun subject.
輸出が増加しました。
Exports increased.
Formal past tense.
外国人が増加している。
Foreigners are increasing.
Common social observation.
雨の量が増加した。
The amount of rain increased.
Zouka for quantity.
最近、ゴミの量が増加しています。
Recently, the amount of trash is increasing.
Using 'saikin' (recently) with zouka.
インターネットの利用者が増加した。
Internet users have increased.
Noun + no + Noun structure.
この町では、子供の数が増加傾向にあります。
In this town, the number of children is on an increasing trend.
Introduction of 'keikou' (trend).
去年より観光客が増加しました。
Tourists increased compared to last year.
Comparison using 'yori'.
電気代の増加に驚いた。
I was surprised by the increase in the electricity bill.
Zouka as the object of a feeling.
新しい店ができて、客が増加した。
A new shop opened, and customers increased.
Cause and effect using ~te form.
健康への関心が増加している。
Interest in health is increasing.
Abstract but measurable interest.
生産量が増加した理由は、新しい機械です。
The reason production increased is the new machine.
Explaining reasons for zouka.
不況にもかかわらず、輸出額が増加した。
Despite the recession, the export value increased.
Using 'ni mo kakawarazu' (despite).
SNSの普及により、情報の量が増加した。
With the spread of SNS, the amount of information has increased.
Using 'ni yori' (due to).
需要の増加に伴い、価格が上がった。
With the increase in demand, prices rose.
Using 'ni tomonai' (accompanying).
この数年で、共働きの世帯が急激に増加した。
In the last few years, dual-income households have increased rapidly.
Adverb 'kyuugeki ni'.
犯罪の増加を防ぐために、警察がパトロールを強化した。
To prevent the increase in crime, police strengthened patrols.
Using 'fusegu tame ni' (to prevent).
昨年に比べて、利益が大幅に増加しました。
Compared to last year, profits increased significantly.
Adverb 'oohaba ni'.
都市部への人口の増加が止まらない。
The increase of population into urban areas won't stop.
Zouka as a continuous noun phrase.
環境意識の高まりが、リサイクル率の増加につながった。
Rising environmental awareness led to an increase in the recycling rate.
Using 'ni tsunagaru' (lead to).
少子高齢化の影響で、社会保障費が増加の一途をたどっている。
Due to the aging population and low birth rate, social security costs continue to increase.
Idiom 'itto o tadoru' (continue on a path).
新規契約者数の増加は、我々のマーケティング戦略の成果だ。
The increase in new subscribers is the result of our marketing strategy.
Formal business possessive structure.
供給不足が懸念される中、需要は依然として増加している。
While supply shortages are a concern, demand is still increasing.
Using 'naka' (amidst) and 'izen to shite' (still).
統計データによれば、失業率はわずかに増加した。
According to statistical data, the unemployment rate increased slightly.
Using 'ni yoreba' (according to).
この政策が、雇用の増加に寄与することを期待している。
I hope this policy contributes to an increase in employment.
Using 'ni kiyo suru' (contribute to).
温暖化により、自然災害の頻度が増加する恐れがある。
There is a fear that the frequency of natural disasters will increase due to global warming.
Using 'osore ga aru' (there is a fear/risk).
海外市場でのシェアの増加を目指し、投資を拡大する。
We will expand investment, aiming for an increase in market share overseas.
Combining zouka and kakudai.
住民の反対を押し切って、工場の稼働時間が増加された。
Overriding the residents' opposition, the factory's operating hours were increased.
Passive form 'zouka sareta'.
所得格差の拡大に伴い、相対的貧困層が増加している事実は看過できない。
The fact that the relative poverty group is increasing along with the widening income gap cannot be overlooked.
High-level social commentary.
デジタル化の進展が、サイバー攻撃の件数を指数関数的に増加させた。
The progress of digitalization has caused the number of cyberattacks to increase exponentially.
Using 'shisuu kansuu teki ni' (exponentially).
当該年度における純利益の増加は、徹底したコスト削減の賜物である。
The increase in net profit for the fiscal year in question is the fruit of thorough cost-cutting.
Using 'tougai' and 'tamamono'.
都市の過密化は、感染症の伝播リスクを飛躍的に増加させる要因となる。
Urban overcrowding becomes a factor that dramatically increases the risk of infectious disease transmission.
Using 'hiyaku teki ni' (dramatically).
労働人口の減少を補うべく、外国人労働者の受け入れ数が増加に転じた。
To compensate for the shrinking labor force, the number of foreign workers accepted has turned to an increase.
Using 'ni tenjiru' (turn to).
心理的ストレスの増加が、現代人の睡眠の質を著しく低下させている。
The increase in psychological stress is significantly lowering the quality of sleep for modern people.
Using 'ichijiru-shiku' (remarkably/significantly).
データの整合性を保ちつつ、処理速度を増加させる手法を開発した。
We developed a method to increase processing speed while maintaining data consistency.
Technical 'zouka saseru' usage.
空き家の増加が地域の治安悪化を招くとして、自治体が対策に乗り出した。
Saying that the increase in vacant houses leads to a deterioration of local security, the local government has taken action.
Complex causal structure.
マクロ経済学の観点から、マネーサプライの増加がインフレ率に及ぼす影響を論じる。
From a macroeconomic perspective, discuss the impact of the increase in money supply on the inflation rate.
Academic discourse.
エントロピーの増加という熱力学第二法則は、宇宙の不可逆的な性質を示唆している。
The second law of thermodynamics, the increase of entropy, suggests the irreversible nature of the universe.
Scientific terminology.
権威主義的体制下での監視技術の増加は、市民的自由の漸次的な剥奪を意味する。
The increase in surveillance technology under authoritarian regimes signifies the gradual deprivation of civil liberties.
Political science context.
ゲノム編集技術の普及に伴う倫理的懸念の増加に対し、国際的な枠組みが必要だ。
An international framework is needed for the increase in ethical concerns accompanying the spread of genome editing technology.
Ethics and technology.
可処分所得の微増にもかかわらず、消費支出の増加が見られないのは、将来への不安の表れだ。
The lack of increase in consumer spending despite a slight increase in disposable income is a manifestation of anxiety about the future.
Nuanced economic analysis.
アルゴリズムの複雑化に伴う計算負荷の増加をいかに抑制するかが、当面の課題である。
How to suppress the increase in computational load accompanying the increasing complexity of algorithms is the immediate challenge.
Computer science optimization.
歴史的に見れば、軍備の増加が必ずしも国家の安全保障に直結するわけではない。
Historically speaking, an increase in armaments does not necessarily lead directly to national security.
Geopolitical theory.
情報の非対称性が増加することで、市場の効率性が損なわれる危険性がある。
There is a risk that market efficiency will be compromised by an increase in information asymmetry.
Advanced economic theory.
Colocaciones comunes
Frases Comunes
Se confunde a menudo con
Zoudai is for abstract things like power or influence; Zouka is for numbers/quantities.
Kakudai is for physical size or scope; Zouka is for numerical count.
Joushou is for level/position (going up); Zouka is for amount (getting more).
Modismos y expresiones
Fácil de confundir
Patrones de oraciones
Cómo usarlo
Use for abstract quantities that can be numbered.
Essential for JLPT N3-N1 reading sections involving charts.
- Using 増加 for personal feelings (e.g., 'Happiness increased'). Use 'takamaru' instead.
- Using 増加 for physical size. Use 'ookiku naru' or 'kakudai' instead.
- Forgetting the 'u' in 'zouka' (saying 'zoka').
- Using 増加 as a transitive verb without 'saseru'.
- Using 増加 for 'getting better' (improvement). Use 'kaizen' instead.
Consejos
Data Talk
Always use 増加 when talking about graphs or percentages.
Verb Form
Remember it's a suru-verb. You can say 増加する or 増加します.
Antonym
Learn 減少 (genshou) at the same time to describe any trend.
Professionalism
Switch from 'fueru' to '増加' in your work emails to sound more professional.
Kanji
The 'earth' radical in 増 helps you remember it's like piling up soil.
Adverbs
Combine with 'oohaba ni' (greatly) for strong impact.
News
Listen for this word during the economic segment of the news.
Context
If you see numbers nearby, the word is likely 増加.
Association
Associate with the '+' sign.
Countable
Use it for things you can count (people, money, items).
Memorízalo
Origen de la palabra
Sino-Japanese (Kango) origin. Historically used in formal texts to denote addition and accumulation.
Contexto cultural
Japanese news often uses '激増' (gekizou) for a shocking or sudden increase.
Using 増加 instead of 増える in a business presentation makes you sound more authoritative and objective.
Practica en la vida real
Contextos reales
Inicios de conversación
"最近、物価の増加が気になりませんか? (Aren't you worried about the increase in prices lately?)"
"この町は観光客が増加していますね。 (Tourists are increasing in this town, aren't they?)"
"仕事の量が増加して大変です。 (The amount of work has increased and it's tough.)"
"健康のために運動の時間を増加させたいです。 (I want to increase my exercise time for health.)"
"SNSの利用者の増加についてどう思いますか? (What do you think about the increase in SNS users?)"
Temas para diario
今年、あなたが一番増加させたいスキルは何ですか? (What skill do you want to increase the most this year?)
最近、あなたの周りで増加していると感じるものは何ですか? (What do you feel is increasing around you lately?)
貯金の増加を達成するために何をしますか? (What will you do to achieve an increase in savings?)
日本語の語彙の増加を実感していますか? (Do you feel an increase in your Japanese vocabulary?)
ストレスの増加を感じたとき、どう対処しますか? (How do you cope when you feel an increase in stress?)
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasNo, for age, use 'toshi o toru' (to get older). 増加 is for quantities.
It is primarily intransitive (A ga zouka suru). To make it transitive, use 'zouka saseru'.
増加 is formal/academic; 増える is casual/daily life.
Yes, in a medical or formal context (taijuu no zouka). Casual is 'futoru'.
The opposite is 減少 (genshou).
Use 'kyuugeki na zouka' or 'gekizou'.
Usually 'joushou' (rise) is used for prices, but 'zouka' can be used for the number of price hikes.
Yes, it is very common from N3 level upwards.
It sounds very robotic. Use 'tomodachi ga fueta' instead.
It uses 増 (increase) and 加 (add).
Ponte a prueba 180 preguntas
/ 180 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
増加 is the essential formal term for any numerical increase. While 'fueru' is for daily life, 'zouka' is for the news, business, and science. Mastering it allows you to describe trends and data with professional precision.
- 増加 (zouka) means 'increase' or 'growth' in a formal, quantitative context.
- It is commonly used for statistics like population, sales, and data.
- Grammatically, it functions as a noun or a suru-verb (増加する).
- The opposite of 増加 is 減少 (genshou), which means 'decrease'.
Data Talk
Always use 増加 when talking about graphs or percentages.
Verb Form
Remember it's a suru-verb. You can say 増加する or 増加します.
Antonym
Learn 減少 (genshou) at the same time to describe any trend.
Professionalism
Switch from 'fueru' to '増加' in your work emails to sound more professional.
Ejemplo
売上が増加しました。
Contenido relacionado
Gramática relacionada
Más palabras de Math
面積
A1El área o la superficie de un espacio bidimensional. Común en matemáticas y bienes raíces.
計算
A1El proceso de usar números para encontrar un resultado. También puede referirse a la planificación estratégica.
算定
A1Cálculo o estimación de un valor numérico basado en criterios establecidos.
容積
A1El volumen interno o la capacidad de un contenedor.
円周
A1La circunferencia es la longitud del borde exterior de un círculo.
算出
A1El proceso de calcular o computar un valor numérico utilizando datos o una fórmula específica.
減少
A1Disminución, reducción, descenso. Se utiliza para describir una caída en la cantidad o el número.
対角
A1La esquina opuesta o dirección diagonal en un espacio. Se utiliza en geometría y para describir posiciones espaciales.
直径
A1La distancia de un lado a otro de un círculo, pasando por el centro. Es el doble del radio.
距離
A1La distancia física entre dos puntos. También se refiere a la distancia emocional o psicológica entre las personas.