加

The Chinese character 加 (jiā) is composed of two parts: the radical ditambah (加), which means "to add," and the phonetic component 可 (kě), which is pronounced similarly to 加. The original meaning of 加 was "to add," and it was later extended to mean "to increase," "to join," and "to participate."The character 加 is first seen in oracle bone script, the earliest form of Chinese writing. In oracle bone script, 加 is depicted as a hand holding a stick, which is used to add something to a pile. This character was later simplified to its current form.The character 加 is used in many Chinese words and phrases. Some common examples include:* 加油 (jiāyóu): to add oil, to cheer on* 加班 (jiābān): to work overtime* 加薪 (jiāxīn): to raise salary* 加分 (jiāfēn): to add points* 加减 (jiājiǎn): to add and subtractThe character 加 is also used in many Chinese idioms. Some common examples include:* 锦上添花 (jǐn shàng tiān huā): to add flowers to a brocade, to make something even better* 雪上加霜 (xuě shàng jiā shuāng): to add frost to snow, to make a bad situation even worse* 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú): to draw a snake and add feet, to do something unnecessary and spoil itThe character 加 is a versatile character that is used in many different contexts. It is an important character to learn for HSK learners, as it is used in many common words and phrases.