増産

• Reading: ぞうさん
• Romaji: zōsan
• Kanji breakdown: 増 (zō) — increase; 産 (san) — produce, output, industry
• Pronunciation: /zoː.saɴ/

Meaning

Increased production; production boost. A deliberate expansion of output volume in manufacturing or agriculture.

Used as both a noun and a verbal noun (増産する). It appears in industrial policy discussions, supply-chain analysis, and economic news. 増産体制 (zoosan taisei) refers to a system or framework geared for expanded production. The opposite is 減産 (gensan, production cut), which often describes OPEC decisions or corporate restructuring.

Examples

1. 需要急増に対応するため、工場は二十四時間体制で増産に取り組んでいる。 To meet the sudden surge in demand, the factory is working around the clock on a 24-hour production boost.
2. 原材料の高騰により増産計画の見直しを迫られる企業が相次いだ。 Companies are being forced one after another to revise their production expansion plans due to soaring raw material costs.
3. 電気自動車向けバッテリーの増産投資が各社の最優先課題となっている。 Increasing investment in battery production for electric vehicles has become the top priority for each company.

Usage Guide

Context: manufacturing, industry, supply chain, economics

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 増 (zo, increase) and 産 (san, produce/output). A standard Sino-Japanese economic term that became widely used during Japan's postwar industrialisation period.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Business/Industrial