足し算

What it means

足し算 refers to the basic arithmetic operation of adding numbers to obtain a sum; it describes combining quantities to produce a larger total.

Main meanings

• Core arithmetic operation used to produce a sum from two or more addends.
• Foundational concept in early math education and everyday counting tasks involving money, quantities, or measurements.
• In computing and spreadsheets, 足し算 is the concept behind the plus operator that computes sums.

How to use it

Used in both formal and informal Japanese, 足し算 appears in math classrooms, textbooks, exams, and everyday language when describing adding quantities; Japanese learners encounter typical phrases like 2 と 3 を足すと 5 になる, illustrating the operation in context.