增设 (zēng shè) — to add (a new facility, course, position, etc.); to establish additionally

Definition

增设 means 'to add/establish additionally' — used for setting up a new department, course, or facility, stronger and more institutional than the everyday 添加 or 增加.

verb
to add (a new facility, course, position, etc.)to establish additionally

Examples

  • 增设。
    Gōng sī jì huà míng nián zēng shè yí gè yán fā bù mén.
    The company plans to add an R&D department next year.
  • 增设。
    Zhè suǒ dà xué zuì jìn zēng shè le sān gè xīn zhuān yè.
    This university recently added three new majors.
  • 增设。
    Yī yuàn zài èr lóu zēng shè le ér kē mén zhěn.
    The hospital added a pediatric clinic on the second floor.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

增zēngincrease
设shèestablish

The senses of 增 and 设 work together: to increase and to set up, yielding add or establish additionally.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔearth
Sound part声符shēngfú
曾
曾céng增zēng
Same sound today

增 uses 土 (earth) to show that things grow in earth or are built from earth, and uses 曾 for the sound. This gives the sense of adding or increasing.

Open 增 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 設; 设 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
埶
埶yì設shè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 設 uses 言 (speech) to show the meaning and 埶 to give the sound; this explanation is for 設, not the simplified 设.

Open 设 →

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