拥挤

• Pinyin: yōng jǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 拥 = 扌+ 雍 (embrace); 挤 = 扌+ 齐 (squeeze)

Meaning

To crowd; to be packed. As an adjective, crowded, congested, or cramped.

Describes spaces filled with too many people or things, creating uncomfortable density. Common for public transportation, popular venues, and urban areas during peak times.

Examples

1. 早高峰的地铁车厢非常拥挤。 The subway cars are extremely crowded during rush hour.
2. 游客们把景区挤得水泄不通。 Tourists packed the scenic area so tightly you could barely move.
3. 拥挤的住房条件影响了居民的生活质量。 Cramped housing conditions have affected residents’ quality of life.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, urban life, events

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 节假日商场里总是十分拥挤。(Shopping malls are always very crowded during holidays.)
• 拥挤的交通让上班族苦不堪言。(Congested traffic makes commuters suffer greatly.)

Don't Say

• 时间很拥挤 — use 紧张 or 紧迫 for tight schedules; 拥挤 is for physical spaces

Origin & History

拥 (embrace/crowd) + 挤 (squeeze)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal