施加 is a transitive verb meaning 'to exert'—typically pressure, influence, force, or an effect—on someone or something. It combines 施 (shī), which means 'to implement, apply, or carry out', and 加 (jiā), meaning 'to add or increase'. Together, they convey the idea of actively imposing or applying something external onto a person, group, or situation. The word carries a formal or slightly negative connotation, often implying that the action is intentional and may be unwelcome or burdensome.

This verb is commonly used in contexts involving social pressure, psychological influence, political coercion, or physical force. It almost always takes a direct object naming what is being exerted (e.g., 压力, 影响, 威胁, 惩罚) and a prepositional phrase with 向 or 对 to indicate the target (e.g., 对学生施加压力). It rarely appears in casual speech and is more frequent in news reports, academic writing, or official statements.