密实 (mì shí) — dense, thick, closely knit

Definition

adjective
densethickclosely knit
Easily confused

Examples

  • 密实，。
    Zhè kuài bù hěn mì shí, bù róng yì pò.
    This cloth is very dense and not easy to tear.
  • 密实，。
    Zhè piàn sēn lín de shù mù cháng dé fēi cháng mì shí, yáng guāng dōu tòu bú jìn lái.
    The trees in this forest grow very dense, and sunlight can't penetrate.
  • 密实，。
    Zhè zhǒng dàn gāo de kǒu gǎn hěn mì shí, fēi cháng hǎo chī.
    The texture of this cake is very dense, and it's very tasty.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

密mìdense
实shísolid

密 means dense and 实 means solid, giving closely knit thickness.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
山山shānmountain
Sound part声符shēngfú
宓
宓mì密mì
Same sound today

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

Open 密 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 實; 实 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánroof
  • 周周zhōucarved jade
  • 貝貝bèishellfish; cowrie

The traditional form 實 has 宀 'roof' above 周 'carved jade' and 貝 'cowrie'; the simplified 实 is a later shorthand, so its parts are not the historical pieces.

Open 实 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.