増す・益す|ますmasu[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
増す増す（ます） is the more common written form, written with kanji and kana, and is the one beginners should normally choose.
益す益す（ます） is a rarely used variant, also written with kanji and kana; learners will seldom need to choose it.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verb, transitive verbto increase; to grow
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 増す（ます） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 増します（まします） |
| Negative (nai) | 増さない（まさない） |
| polite (masen) | 増しません（ましません） |
| classical zu / nu | 増さず・増さぬ（まさず・まさぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 増した（ました） |
| polite (mashita) | 増しました（ましました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 増さなかった（まさなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 増しませんでした（ましませんでした） |
| Te form | 増して（まして） |
| Potential | 増せる（ませる） |
| Passive | 増される（まされる） |
| Causative | 増させる（まさせる） |
| Causative passive | 増させられる（まさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 増せば（ませば） |
| tara | 増したら（ましたら） |
| Volitional | 増そう（まそう） |
| polite (mashou) | 増しましょう（ましましょう） |
| Imperative | 増せ（ませ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym増加ぞうかNeutralSino-Japanese noun for an increase in quantity; leans written. 「増す」 is a verb and can also describe degrees deepening, e.g. 「危険が増す」.
- Synonym増大ぞうだいNeutralGrowth in scale or degree, mostly with abstract things; written in flavour. 「増す」 simply says quantity or degree goes up.
- Synonym増えるふえるNeutralThe everyday workhorse: intransitive only, for numbers and amounts growing. 「増す」 works as both intransitive and transitive and is slightly more written.
- Synonym膨らむふくらむNeutralTo bulge or swell, also figuratively for budgets or expectations ballooning. 「増す」 covers amount and degree, not swelling.
- Synonym拡大かくだいNeutralExpansion of scope or scale. 「増す」 focuses on quantity or degree increasing rather than area or size spreading.
- Synonym高まるたかまるNeutralFor degrees or moods rising, e.g. 「緊張が高まる」. 「増す」 is broader: any quantity or degree increasing.
- Synonym伸びるのびるNeutralGrowth in length or in results like grades or performance. 「増す」 is about amounts growing and degrees deepening.
- SynonymアップCasualColloquial loanword for raising or increasing; often tacked on as a suffix, as in 「売上アップ」 or 「収入アップ」.
- Synonym増殖ぞうしょくWrittenWritten style: proliferation of cells or organisms, also figurative endless growth. 「増す」 has no breeding sense.
- Synonym増強ぞうきょうWrittenWritten style: adding staff or equipment to build strength. 「増す」 is a general increase and also allows 「力を増す」.
- Synonym増やすふやすNeutralTransitive and everyday: to make numbers grow, e.g. 「人数を増やす」. 「増す」 does both directions and also deepens degree, slightly more written.
- SynonymかさむNeutralFor expenses or burdens piling up, e.g. 「出費が嵩む」, with a negative nuance. 「増す」 is neutral about quantity or degree.
- Related加えるくわえるNeutralTransitive: to add something to what is there. 「増す」 stresses the resulting increase rather than the act of adding.
- Related膨張ぼうちょうNeutralExpansion in volume, also figurative overexpansion. 「増す」 does not single out volume; it speaks of amount and degree increasing in general.
- Related発展はってんNeutralDevelopment of a business, society, etc.; fairly abstract. 「増す」 only says quantity grows or degree deepens.
- Related繁殖はんしょくNeutralBreeding and multiplying, limited to living things. 「増す」 applies to anything that can increase.
- Related上がるあがるNeutralTo rise or go up, e.g. prices or temperatures, with an up-down image. 「増す」 frames it as amount or degree increasing.
- Related添加てんかNeutralAdding substances or extra content and functions, e.g. 「添加物」. 「増す」 is about quantity or degree growing.
- Related広がるひろがるNeutralSpreading of area or range. 「増す」 concerns amount and degree, not space.
- Related足すたすCasualColloquial: to add or top up, e.g. 「水を足す」. 「増す」 stresses quantity or degree increasing.
- RelatedあげるNeutralTransitive: to raise or lift, e.g. 「値段を上げる」. Very common in daily speech.
- RelatedプラスNeutralLoanword: to add or give a positive effect; fairly colloquial.
- Related付加ふかWrittenWritten style: appending onto an existing base, e.g. 「付加価値」. 「増す」 stresses growing amount or degree, intransitive or transitive.
- Antonym減るへるNeutralAntonym: the everyday word for numbers or degrees decreasing.
- Antonym減ずるげんずるWrittenWritten-style antonym: to decrease or lessen.
For quantity or degree increasing, use 「増す」, as in 「危険が増す」; in daily speech prefer 「増える」 and 「増やす」. For written noun style pick 「増加」 or 「増大」. Use 「嵩む」 for expenses piling up, 「高まる」 for rising tension or mood, 「拡大」/「広がる」 for scope, 「膨らむ」/「膨張」 for swelling, 「上がる」/「上げる」 for raising, 「足す」/「加える」/「付加」/「添加」 for adding, 「増殖」 for cells breeding, 「増強」 for reinforcing staff or equipment, and 「発展」 for growth of business or society. Antonyms: 「減る」 (everyday) and 「減ずる」 (written).
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
