密 mì — secret; confidential; close; thick; dense
这片树林长得很密。Zhè piàn shù lín zhǎng de hěn mì.This forest grows very densely.
Common words: 秘密 (mì mì)、密码 (mì mǎ)、亲密 (qīn mì)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "thick"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "thick", including 密 (mì), 厚 (hòu), 粗 (cū). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "thick" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 密 (mì), 厚 (hòu), 粗 (cū) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span mì, hòu, cū — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 密 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 密 mìsecret; confidential; close; thick; denseUseful words: 秘密, 密码
- 厚 hòugenerous; thick (for flat things)Useful words: 深厚, 厚度
- 粗 cūcoarse; rough; thick; unfinished; vulgar; rudeUseful words: 粗心, 粗鲁
Common words for these 3 "thick" characters
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 密 (mì) — so "thick" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
秘密mì mìsecret; private; confidential; clandestine密码mì mǎcipher; secret code; password; PIN亲密qīn mìintimate; close深厚shēn hòudeep; profound厚度hòu dùthickness浓厚nóng hòudense; thick (fog, clouds etc); to have a strong interest in; deep粗心cū xīncareless; thoughtless粗鲁cū lǔcoarse; crude (in one's manner); boorish粗糙cū cāocrude; gruff; rough; coarse
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "thick".
厚 hòu — generous; thick (for flat things)
冬天的被子又厚又暖和。Dōng tiān de bèi zi yòu hòu yòu nuǎn huo.Winter quilts are thick and warm.
Common words: 深厚 (shēn hòu)、厚度 (hòu dù)、浓厚 (nóng hòu)
粗 cū — coarse; rough; thick; unfinished; vulgar; rude
这棵大树的树干又粗又壮。Zhè kē dà shù de shù gàn yòu cū yòu zhuàng.The trunk of this big tree is thick and sturdy.
Common words: 粗心 (cū xīn)、粗暴 (cū bào)、粗略 (cū lüè)
All 3 characters
Open 密、厚、粗 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.