2065
I'm a bit confused regarding the choice between the 加 and 増 kanji for any
meaning related to "adding one thing to another".

I assume that, as usual, the suru-verb combination 増加する is somewhat more
formal than either of the other options.

I was told that 増 was for adding more of the same thing, while 加 might be used
for adding things of a different type, but examples that I have found don't
seem to match with that idea. For example, my dictionary has the following at
the start of an example sentence...

```

    汽車がスピードをだんだん加えていき。。。
    
```

There's also 殖える, which seems to replace 増 in cases explicitly related to
population (people, livestock, or grain), but it seems to be used for
something like "net worth" as well.

There's also 足す, which I believe has a connotation similar to 足りる in meaning
"add enough to suffice".
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2011-07-19T18:29:02.773
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question
word-choice vocabulary synonyms
加える/増やす and 加わる/増える or even 増加する/殖/足, various kanji for "adding things"
## Words for Adding Things

Note that there are actually many more suru-verb kanji combinations that mean
things similar to "adding" or "growing," so I've only covered the two
mentioned here.

### 足す【たす】

This is used only for adding two things of the same type.

> Example: なべに水を足す "Add water to the pot"

### 加える【くわえる】

Like 足す, this is also used for adding two things of the same type, but it is
also used when adding things _of different types_.

> Example: カレーに薬味を加える "Add condiments to the curry"

### 増える【ふえる】 / 増やす【ふやす】 / 増す【ます】

Unlike 加える and 足す, these do not have a meaning of "adding," per se.

  * 増す is generally used when increasing a degree, level, or extent. It can be used with を or が. When used for volume or amount, it adds a moderately formal air.

> Example: 悲しみが増す "Increase [the degree of] sadness"

  * 増やす is simply "to increase the amount," and is generally used with を.

> Example: 楽しみを増やす "Increase [the amount of] pleasure"

  * 増える is "to be increased" or "to grow" and is generally used with が. They are both used to describe _volumes_ rather than _degrees_. Note: 

> Example: お客さまが増えた "[The number of] customers has increased"

### 増加する【ぞうかする】

Much the same as 増える and 増やす, this means "to increase," much the same as the
English verb. The size of the increase does not matter, but it can only be
used with quantities or volumes, _not_ degrees.

> Example: 体重が五キロ増加する "Weight increased by 5kg"

* * *

I've also included istrasci's suggestions, which rather than simply meaning
"to add" all mean more along the lines of "to supplement."

### [付]{つ}け[足]{た}す

Used to add in something after-the-fact which was insufficient or lacking.

> Example: 炭を付け足す "Add charcoal (presumably to a dwindling fire)"

### [付]{つ}け加える【くわえる】

Used to add in something after-the-fact which is necessary. Very similar to
付け足す.

> Example: 名前をつけ加える "Add a name to the list"

### 付加する【ふかする】

付加 is used when adding something after-the-fact which is _different_ than the
original. Very similar to 付け加える.

> Example: 条件をもう一つ付加する "Add one more condition"
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2011-07-19T22:16:22.630
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answer