The usage of “添” in the southern opera Zhang Xie, The Top Scholar and Lu Xun’s The Letters from Two Places has sparked debate within the academic community. Specifically, there is disagreement over whether “添” functions as a notional verb or a postposition adverb. This paper argues that in the sentences “宛转些添” and “钱与谁添” from Chapter 18 of Zhang Xie, The Top Scholar, “添” operates as a verb meaning “to add or supplement,” particularly in these two sentences meaning borrowing (money). Historical analysis shows that “添” as a postposition adverb appeared in missionary literature until the late Qing dynasty. Examples from the Song （960 AD-1279 AD）, Ming（1368 AD-1644 AD ）, Qing（1644 AD-1911 AD）, and Republic of China（1912 AD-1949 AD） periods indicate that in The Letters from Two Places, “添” means “to add.” When combined with “买 (buy),” it forms the compound “买添,” synonymous with “添买, ” a common expression in ancient literature. Unlike the postposition adverb “V添,” where “V” must be followed by a quantifier before “添,” “买添” directly combines the two verbs without such a requirement. Semantically, “V添” implies the continuation or repetition of an action, whereas “买添” does not. Therefore, “添” in The Letters from Two Places should be classified as a verb, not a postposition. Additionally, while some scholars argue about the contemporary use of “V添” in the Shaoxing urban area, it appears that this usage persists primarily among the older generation rather than among modern speakers.