激增 (jī zēng) — to increase rapidly, to surge, to shoot up | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal verb for a sudden, sharp rise in quantity or intensity. Stronger and more abrupt than 上涨 (gradual rise), and emphasizes the 'surge' aspect of 飙升.

verb

to increase rapidlyto surgeto shoot up

Examples

激增。
Zhè ge chéng shì de rén kǒu jìn nián lái jī zēng.
The population of this city has surged in recent years.
，激增。
Chūn jié qián hòu, jī piào de xū qiú huì jī zēng.
Around Spring Festival, the demand for air tickets surges.
激增，。
Zuì jìn gǎn rǎn rén shù jī zēng, dà jiā yào zhù yì fáng hù.
Recently, the number of infections has surged; everyone must pay attention to protection.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

增zēngincrease

激 suggests a sharp, forceful surge, and 增 means increase, giving a sense of rapid rise.

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.

氵敫激

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

敫

敫jiǎo激jī

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 激, the 氵 side marks water, and 敫 gives the sound jiǎo; the original sense is water swashing.

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

土曾增

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Change & Process

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