HSK 7, a, 13 strokes, radical 禾, rank #26398, Very Hard
稠
chóu
crowded
HSK 7, a, 13 strokes, radical 禾, rank #26398, Very Hard
稠
chóu
thick
HSK 7, a, 13 strokes, radical 禾, rank #26398, Very Hard
稠
chóu
many
HSK 7, a, 13 strokes, radical 禾, rank #26398, Very Hard
稠
chóu
crowded, dense; viscous, thick
HSK 7, a, 13 strokes, radical 禾, rank #26398, Very Hard
chóu(chou2)chou T2
1dense
2crowded
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
稠chóu(chou2)
The character 稠 (chóu) refers to a state of density or thickness, often used to describe substances that are not easily separable, like mud or syrup. It can also denote a crowd of people or a large quantity of items in a given space, highlighting a sense of being packed together closely.
Strokes13Radical禾Frequency#26398DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, the concept of thickness is important, particularly in sauces and soups, where a thicker consistency is often desired for flavor and texture. 稠 can be used to describe dishes that are rich and satisfying.
Memory Tip
Imagine a thick soup that's so dense you can barely see through it. The character 稠 has the '禾' (grain) radical, which suggests abundance, and the '周' component, indicating surrounding or crowding—think of grains packed densely together in a bowl.
Meanings of 稠
chóu(chou2)
1dense
2crowded
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 稠 means.
About 稠
稠Simplified
13Strokes
禾Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#26398Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2
Podcast: 稠
Podcast: 稠
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 稠
Quick Contrast
稠 (chóu) vs 密 (mì) — use 稠 for thickness or density in a physical sense, while 密 emphasizes closeness or compactness without necessarily implying thickness.
Usage Notes
Beware of using 稠 in contexts where 'thick' or 'dense' could imply negative connotations, such as 'complicated' or 'crowded' situations. It's more common in informal settings but can be used in written contexts when describing substances or populations. For example, saying '人很稠' (the people are dense) is acceptable but should be used carefully.
HSK Study Tips
While 稠 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to other words at the intermediate level, such as 浓 (nóng, thick) or 密 (mì, dense). Focus on its applications in describing both physical and abstract densities.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 稠 with 浓 (nóng), which means 'thick' in a different context, such as flavor. For example, saying '这个汤很浓' is more appropriate when discussing taste rather than consistency.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 稠
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 稠 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 稠 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 稠?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 稠 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
稠 = 禾 + 周. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 稠
IDS Structure⿰禾周
稠Full Character
=
禾he2
left
周Zhou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 稠?
How to say dense in Chinese
“dense” in Chinese is稠chóu
The character 稠 (chóu) refers to a state of density or thickness, often used to describe substances that are not easily separable, like mud or syrup. It can also denote a crowd of people or a large quantity of items in a given space, highlighting a sense of being packed together closely.
When to use 稠
Beware of using 稠 in contexts where 'thick' or 'dense' could imply negative connotations, such as 'complicated' or 'crowded' situations. It's more common in informal settings but can be used in written contexts when describing substances or populations. For example, saying '人很稠' (the people are dense) is acceptable but should be used carefully.
稠 or something close to it
稠 (chóu) vs 密 (mì) — use 稠 for thickness or density in a physical sense, while 密 emphasizes closeness or compactness without necessarily implying thickness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 稠 with 浓 (nóng), which means 'thick' in a different context, such as flavor. For example, saying '这个汤很浓' is more appropriate when discussing taste rather than consistency.
Write 稠
稠
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 稠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 稠
稠 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
将苹果和黑莓炖成____浆。
Stew the apple and blackberries to make a thick pulp.
Example Sentences for 稠 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
将苹果和黑莓炖成稠浆。
jiāng píng guǒ hé hēi méi dùn chéng chóu jiāng。
Stew the apple and blackberries to make a thick pulp.
