增长
zēngzhǎng · HSK 3
grow
📈 增 = add/increase + 长 = grow/long; together: 'add + grow' = increase
增 (zēng) means to add or augment; 长 (zhǎng) means to grow (also 'long' as cháng). The compound stacks two near-synonyms: add-on plus growth, used for rising numbers, populations, or economies.
增 — earth 土 + 曾 (phonetic, 'layer/repeat')
A semantic-phonetic compound: 土 ('earth') gives the meaning, while 曾 supplies the sound and hints at 'layered, piled up.' The original sense was piling earth higher and higher, which generalized to 'increase, add to.' 曾 itself depicts a tiered steamer, reinforcing the idea of stacking.
长 — pictograph of long-haired person with cane
Originally a pictograph showing a person with long, flowing hair leaning on a cane, representing an elder. The meaning extended from 'long hair' to 'long' in general, and also to 'elder' or 'to grow' (read zhǎng). The modern form 长 is a simplification of the traditional 長.