Definitions

chóu dense; crowded; thick; many

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "稠" is etymologically composed of the semantic component "禾", indicating grain or plants, combined with the phonetic and semantic component "周", which conveys notions of thoroughness and density. Its original meaning pertained specifically to the close spacing and thickness of cultivated crops in a field. From this agricultural foundation, its sense broadened to describe any substance possessing a high viscosity or concentration, such as a thick porridge or dense liquid, while also extending abstractly to situations characterized by a high density of objects or people. The traditional form of the character retains this original construction, and its conceptual journey reflects a logical progression from a concrete, physical property of vegetation to a more generalized adjective for thickness and crowdedness.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这粥煮得很

Zhè zhōu zhǔ de hěn chóu.

This porridge is cooked very thick.

早晨的雾气密,看不清路。

Zǎochén de wùqì chóumì, kàn bù qīng lù.

The morning fog was dense, making it hard to see the road.

蜂蜜是一种黏的液体。

Fēngmì shì yī zhǒng niánchóu de yètǐ.

Honey is a viscous liquid.

这个地区人口密,交通拥堵。

Zhège dìqū rénkǒu chóumì, jiāotōng yōngdǔ.

This area has a dense population and congested traffic.

数据点集的区域需要重点分析。

Shùjù diǎn chóu jí de qūyù xūyào zhòngdiǎn fēnxī.

The region where the data points are densely clustered requires focused analysis.

他做的酱汁过于浓,需要加点水。

Tā zuò de jiàngzhī guòyú nóngchóu, xūyào jiā diǎn shuǐ.

The sauce he made is overly thick and needs some water added.

这种黏的原油很难开采和运输。

Zhè zhǒng niánchóu de yuányóu hěn nán kāicǎi hé yùnshū.

This kind of viscous crude oil is difficult to extract and transport.

流体在不同温度下黏度会发生变化。

Liútǐ zài bùtóng wēndù xià niánchóu dù huì fāshēng biànhuà.

The viscosity of a fluid changes at different temperatures.