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茂密 (mào mì) — dense and lush (of vegetation)

Definition

Used only for vegetation — trees, grass, forests — growing thickly together. 密 alone is broader (also population, relationships); 茂盛 emphasizes vigorous growth rather than density.

adjective
dense and lush (of vegetation)

Examples

  • 茂密。
    Sēn lín lǐ de shù mù cháng dé shí fēn mào mì.
    The trees in the forest grow very dense and lush.
  • 茂密。
    Huā yuán lǐ mào mì de méi gui kāi dé zhèng yàn.
    The dense roses in the garden are blooming beautifully.
  • 茂密。
    Zhè piàn mào mì de cǎo dì shì yě cān de hǎo dì fāng.
    This piece of lush grassland is a good place for a picnic.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

茂màolush
密mìdense

茂 suggests lush growth and 密 suggests packed density, together describing thick vegetation.

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
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
戊
戊wù茂mào
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape 茂 pairs 艸 (grass) with 戊, which gives the sound.

Open 茂 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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