Chinese word

稠

Pronunciation

Pinyinchóu

Meaning

  • adjectivethick

Example

这酱汁有点稠，很适合拌面。zhè jiàng zhī yóu diǎn chóu hěn shì hé bàn miàn

This sauce is a little thick and is great for mixing with noodles.

Illustration for 稠 (thick)

More examples

汤冷却后会慢慢变得稠。tāng lěng què hòu huì màn màn biàn de chóu

The soup slowly becomes thick as it cools.

Core concept

Something is concentrated in a small space: a liquid moves slowly and may cling, while a group or pattern can feel densely packed.

Common phrases

  • 变得稠biàn de chóu

    become thick

  • 稠的口感chóu de kóu gǎn

    thick texture

  • 稠的奶油chóu de nǎi yóu

    thick cream

Similar words

粘稠nián chóu: Describing a liquid that is thick, sticky, and clings as it flows.
稠密chóu mì: Describing things packed closely together with little space between them.
浓稠nóng chóu: Describing a liquid that is strongly concentrated and thick.

Definition in Chinese

表示液体或半流体浓厚、粘稠，不像稀薄的那样容易流动，也可用于比喻事物分布密集。biǎo shì yè tǐ huò bàn liú tǐ nóng hòu nián chóu bú xiàng xī bó de nà yàng róng yì liú dòng yě kě yòng yú bǐ yù shì wù fēn bù mì jí

Word origin

稠 (chóu, "thick") uses 禾 (hé, "grain") for its semantic hint and 周 (zhōu, "all around") for its sound, connecting closely gathered grain with the later ideas of thick liquids and dense distribution.

Usage tips

  • On menus and in recipes, this adjective describes the consistency a sauce or porridge should reach, not its flavor, color, or temperature.

Other meanings

  • stickyadjective

Opposites

  • 稀薄xī bóthinadjective

Related words

Word lists with this word