稠密

• Pinyin: chóu mì
• Hanzi breakdown: 稠 = 禾 (grain) + 周 (around) = thick; 密 = 宀 (roof) + 必 (must) + 山 (mountain) = dense

Meaning

Dense; thick; closely packed; high in concentration.

Formal term for describing high density of population, forest coverage, network distribution, etc. More formal than 密 alone. Often used in geographical and scientific contexts.

Examples

1. 这片森林植被稠密，几乎看不到阳光。 This forest has such dense vegetation that you can barely see sunlight.
2. 长三角地区的铁路网非常稠密。 The railway network in the Yangtze River Delta is extremely dense.
3. 人口稠密的城市面临着更大的环境压力。 Densely populated cities face greater environmental pressures.

Usage Guide

Context: geography, science, urban planning

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 日本是世界上人口最稠密的国家之一。(Japan is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.)
• 这里的商业网点分布稠密。(The commercial outlets are densely distributed here.)

Don't Say

• 头发稠密 (For hair, use 浓密 — 稠密 is for populations, networks, vegetation)

Origin & History

Compound of 稠 (thick/dense) and 密 (dense/secret). Both characters reinforce the meaning of high density.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal