When to Use ふえる vs 増える - Hiragana vs Kanji for "Increase"
Learn why prices 上がる instead of 増える in Japanese. Understand the difference between ふえる (hiragana) and 増える (kanji) for countable vs uncountable concepts.
When to Use ふえる vs 増える - The Countable Rule
A common JLPT confusion: why do prices 上がる (go up) but not 増える (increase)? The answer reveals an important distinction between hiragana ふえる and kanji 増える.
The Key Difference
増える (maseru) - Used for countable things that can be numbered ふえる (fueru) - Used for uncountable concepts or amounts
When to Use 増える (Countable Items)
Use 増える when you can count individual units:
- 車の じこが ふえています (Car accidents are increasing)
- お父さん の せが 10センチも ふえました (Dad's height increased by 10cm)
- 最近、車の じこが ふえています (Recently, car accidents are increasing)
Notice these are all things you can count: accidents, centimeters, specific incidents.
When NOT to Use 増える (Prices)
Why prices don't 増える:
Prices represent value amounts, not countable units. You don't say "three prices" or "five costs." Instead:
- ねだんが あがる (Prices go up)
- りょうきんが たかくなる (Fees become expensive)
The Hiragana ふえる Rule
When you see ふえる written in hiragana in formal contexts (like JLPT), it often indicates:
- Uncountable amounts - water levels, general quantities
- Abstract concepts - worry, happiness, understanding
- When the writer wants to avoid kanji complexity
Practical JLPT Tip
For countable nouns: Use 増える
For prices/costs: Use 上がる or 高くなる
When unsure: ふえる (hiragana) is often safer
Quick Memory Trick
Think of 増 (the kanji) as showing "stacking up" - you can stack countable things. Prices are amounts, not stackable items.
This distinction helps you choose the right verb and avoid common JLPT mistakes about what can "increase" versus what "goes up" in Japanese.