How to Write 密 (mì) — Meaning “dense; secret”

Picture a secret hidden under a roof (宀) on a mountain (山), and you must (必) keep it hidden. This combines the three components into a story: a secret place. The phrase 'under the roof on the mountain, a must-keep secret' can help you recall both the shape and the meaning.

Pay attention to the order: first write the roof 宀 (three strokes), then the mountain 山 (three strokes) in the middle, and finally the bottom part 必 (five strokes). A common mistake is making the mountain too wide or the bottom 必 too small—keep all three parts balanced and centered vertically.

密 has three visible parts (宀, 山, 必), while 客 has only two (宀 and 各) and 宣 also has two (宀 and 亘). Their meanings are also distinct: 密 means 'secret' or 'dense,' 客 means 'guest,' and 宣 means 'to declare.' Visually, remember that 密 contains a mountain shape inside, whereas the others do not.

You will often see 密 in words about secrecy, such as 秘密 (secret) and 密码 (password or code). It also appears in 亲密 (intimate, close relationship) and 密集 (dense, crowded). Culturally, 密码 is essential for digital life in China, like phone passwords or bank codes.

Common words containing 密 include: 秘密 (mì mì) — secret; 密码 (mì mǎ) — password; code; 亲密 (qīn mì) — intimate; close.