密 (mì) - dense & thick

密Tone 4

mì ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

密 · mì

dense;

thick;

close;

intimate;

secret;

meticulous;

also refers to honey.

densethickclose

Usage highlights

dense forestclose friendsecret documentconfidentialhoneycipher

Synonyms

  • 稠— thick, dense (as in liquid or population)
  • 秘— secret, mysterious
  • 亲— close, intimate

Antonyms

  • 疏— sparse, distant, negligent
  • 稀— thin, sparse, rare
  • 公开— public, open

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The forest is dense (密林).
  • They have a close relationship (关系亲密).
  • This is a state secret (国家机密).
  • Please keep this confidential (请保密).
  • The plan was carefully detailed (计划周密).

Collocations

  • dense forest(密林)
  • close friend(密友)
  • secret document(密件)
  • confidential(机密)
  • honey(蜂蜜)
  • cipher(密码)

Idioms

  • Thick as iron and strong as stone(固若金汤, originally 金城汤池, implying dense defense)
  • Inseparable, very close(亲密无间)
  • Closely packed, dense(密密麻麻)
  • To keep a secret(保守秘密)
  • A secret agreement(密约)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character 密 is associated with concepts of secrecy and security, often used in contexts of statecraft and espionage.
  • In Buddhism, 'Esoteric Buddhism' is known as 密宗 (Mìzōng), highlighting its secret teachings.
  • The character conveys a sense of precision and careful arrangement, valued in both planning and craftsmanship.

FAQ