增殖 (zēng zhí) is a formal, primarily written verb meaning 'to proliferate' or 'to multiply rapidly', especially in biological or technical contexts. The first character 增 (zēng) means 'to increase' or 'to add', while 殖 (zhí) means 'to reproduce' or 'to propagate' — together they emphasize growth through replication. It is commonly used to describe the uncontrolled multiplication of cells (e.g., cancerous tissue), microorganisms (e.g., bacteria or viruses), or even economic assets (e.g., capital or data). Unlike the more general 增加 (zēngjiā, 'to increase'), 增殖 specifically implies self-replication or generative expansion.

This term appears frequently in medical reports, scientific literature, and policy discussions about public health, ecology, or biotechnology. It carries a neutral-to-slightly-negative connotation when referring to harmful proliferation (e.g., tumor growth), but can be positive in contexts like beneficial bacterial cultures or sustainable resource development. It is rarely used in casual speech and almost never with people as subjects — it applies to entities capable of self-duplication.