稠

• Pinyin: chóu
• Hanzi breakdown: 稠 = 禾 (grain) + 周 (around/cycle) = dense/thick

Meaning

Thick; dense; viscous (of liquids); crowded (of populations).

Describes consistency of liquids (like porridge, sauce) or density of objects/people. Opposite of 稀 (thin, sparse). Common in cooking and describing population density.

Examples

1. 这碗粥熬得很稠，吃起来特别香。 This bowl of porridge is cooked very thick and tastes especially good.
2. 酱汁太稠了，需要加点水稀释一下。 The sauce is too thick and needs some water to thin it out.
3. 这个地区人口稠密，交通很拥挤。 This area has a dense population and heavy traffic.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, geography, description

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 粥要熬得稠一点才好吃。(Porridge tastes better when cooked thick.)
• 这种油漆比较稠，不容易流下来。(This paint is quite thick and doesn't drip easily.)

Don't Say

• 他的性格很稠 (稠 describes physical properties, not personality — use 深沉 or 复杂 for complex personalities)

Origin & History

Composed of 禾 (grain) and 周 (cycle/around). Originally related to abundant grain harvest, extended to mean thick/dense.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal