拡張|かくちょうkakuchou[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, suru verb, transitive verbexpansion; extension; enlargement
   学校がっこうの体育館たいいくかんが拡張かくちょうされた。↗

   The school gymnasium was enlarged.
2. noun, suru verb, transitive verb, computingescape; ESC

• Synonym広げるひろげるNeutralThe everyday verb for spreading or enlarging: 「道を広げる」, 「地図を広げる」. Also unfolds folded things. 「拡張」 is more formal, used for scale and functions.
• Synonym伸長しんちょうWrittenWritten word for length, strength or influence growing: 「勢力の伸長」. It stresses getting longer or growing; 「拡張」 stresses range, scale or functions spreading outward.
• Synonym拡大かくだいNeutralGeneral word for enlarging scale or scope: 「被害が拡大する」; also magnifies images: 「写真を拡大する」. Transitive and intransitive; 「拡張」 leans to roads and added functions.
• Synonym広がるひろがるNeutralIntransitive and very common: a range spreading or a rumor circulating: 「噂が広がる」. 「拡張」 is said of roads, facilities and functions, never of rumors spreading.
• Synonym広めるひろめるNeutralSpreads or popularizes something so more people know it: 「知識を広める」; can also widen a scope. 「拡張」 is not used for spreading news or knowledge.
• Synonym伸びるのびるNeutralIntransitive: stretching, growing (hair, height) or increasing: 「売上が伸びる」. 「拡張」 covers range and scale, but is never said of height or hair getting longer.
• Synonym増大ぞうだいNeutralAbout quantity or degree increasing: 「負担が増大する」. The focus is on the amount growing; 「拡張」 is about range, scale or functions being extended.
• Synonym展開てんかいNeutralUnfolding and how things develop: 「話の展開」; also deploying troops or rolling out business. 「拡張」 is about scale and added functions, never about how events unfold.
• Synonym拡充かくじゅうWrittenWritten word for expanding and enriching at once: 「サービスの拡充」. It stresses filling out facilities or systems; 「拡張」 only enlarges, without the sense of enrichment.
• SynonymエクステンションNeutralLoanword for an extension or added part, often hair extensions: 「ヘアエクステンション」. For enlarging scale or functions, 「拡張」 is the word.
• Synonym広がりひろがりNeutralA noun for the expanse or breadth something has: 「話の広がり」 — it describes a state. 「拡張」 names the act of enlarging, as in 「道路の拡張」.
• Synonym膨張ぼうちょうNeutralSwelling in volume from heat or air: 「熱膨張」; also used of scale ballooning. 「拡張」 is said of scope and functions; for blood vessels it is 「血管の拡張」.
• Synonym押し広げるおしひろげるWrittenWritten and rare: pushing something out to spread it over a wide area, with a nuance of effort. For plain enlarging use 「広げる」, in formal prose 「拡張」.
• Synonym伸展しんてんWrittenWritten word: influence or scale stretching out, and also straightening of limbs or joints: 「肘関節の伸展」. For widening scope or functions say 「拡張」 or 「拡大」.
• Synonym取り広げるとりひろげるWrittenMeans enlarging or spreading out a scope, but is all but extinct today, with an old-fashioned air. Say 「広げる」 in daily speech, 「拡張」 in formal writing.
• Synonym展延てんえんWrittenWritten and technical: spreading material out thin, as with metals. 「拡張」 is about scope and scale growing, and has nothing to do with stretching material.
• Related広まるひろまるNeutralIntransitive: news or trends getting around and taking hold: 「評判が広まる」. 「拡張」 is about range, scale or functions growing, not about something catching on.
• Related延長えんちょうNeutralLengthens physical length or a time limit: 「延長戦」, 「期間の延長」. The core idea is making something longer; 「拡張」 is widening scope or scale outward.
• Related進出しんしゅつNeutralMoving into a new field or market: 「海外進出」; also advancing to the next round. The point is opening up new ground; 「拡張」 enlarges a range or scale you already have.
• Related拡散かくさんNeutralScattering and spreading, transitive or intransitive: 「噂が拡散する」, 「情報を拡散する」; also diffusion of gases and liquids. 「拡張」 widens scope or scale, with no scattering sense.
• Related繰り広げるくりひろげるNeutralUnfolds one scene after another: 「熱戦を繰り広げる」, typical of matches and events. It says nothing about enlarging scale, so its use is far from 「拡張」.
• RelatedのびNeutralA noun for the amount of growth: 「売上の伸び」; also a stretch of the body or how well paint spreads. 「拡張」 is the act of widening scope or scale.
• Related引き伸ばすひきのばすNeutralStretches things longer, enlarges photos, or puts things off: 「会議を引き延ばす」. 「拡張」 is never used for enlarging photos or stalling for time.
• Related引き伸ばしひきのばしNeutralNoun for enlarging a photo or for stalling: 「引き延ばし作戦」. It is close to 「拡張」 only in enlarging size; otherwise they are not interchangeable.
• Related伸べ広げるのべひろげるWrittenRare and written: stretching something out flat or long, a concrete physical action. 「拡張」 is about scope and scale; in daily speech just say 「広げる」.
• Antonym縮小しゅくしょうNeutralShrinks scale or scope: 「事業の縮小」. It is the direct opposite of 「拡張」 in terms of size, and the most common antonym.
• Antonym収縮しゅうしゅくWrittenWritten and intransitive: something contracting on its own, as 「血管の収縮」. It is the opposite of 「拡張」 in the dilation sense, as in 「血管の拡張」.
• Antonym圧縮あっしゅくNeutralCompresses by pressure or cuts totals down: 「経費を圧縮する」, 「データ圧縮」. It is only loosely opposite to 「拡張」; the strict antonym is 「縮小」.

Use 「拡張」 for extending roads or adding functions: 「道路拡張」, 「拡張機能」. For general enlargement choose 「拡大」; in everyday speech say 「広げる」; for expanding and enriching facilities or services, 「拡充」. For news or trends catching on use 「広がる」, 「広まる」 or 「拡散」; for length or time 「延長」; for growth in figures 「伸びる」; for entering new markets 「進出」. The usual opposite is 「縮小」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 範囲はんい・規模きぼ・勢力せいりょくなどを広ひろげて大おおきくすること。
2. 機能きのうを増ふやすこと。
3. 概念がいねんをより一般化いっぱんかすること。