Meaning

Primary

To Increase

Word Type

intransitive verb, ichidan verb

Explanation

Because the hiragana ends with an sound, you know this word is a verb. The kanji itself means increase, so the vocabulary verb version means to increase. This is when something is just increasing on its own, and you're not doing the increasing. You know this because you like to err (える) on the side of caution and not touch anything when it's increasing, therefore you're not doing any of the increasing yourself (it's just happening).

This is an everyday word that refers to an increase in number or quantity, but keep in mind that it cannot be used to express an increase in degree.

Reading

ふえる
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

It would be foolish () of you to touch anything while things are increasing anyways. You don't want to mess up a good thing, do you? Don't be a fool.

Context

Context Sentences

ここ2、3年、ビエトが一日に飲むお酒、かなり増えてるんだよね。

Over the past few years, Viet’s daily amount of alcohol has been considerably increasing.

もう少し建設的な批判が増えるといいんだけど。

It would be nice if the constructive criticism increased a bit.

母の黒髪に交じった白髪の量が、以前より増えている気がした。

It felt like the number of gray hairs mixed into my mom's black hair had increased since I last saw her.

Kanji Composition