密

The core sense is the absence of gaps or openings, manifesting in four primary directions:

1. Physical Density: Dense, thick, or tightly woven (e.g., forests, fabrics); implies impermeability.

2. Secrecy and Confidentiality: Information kept "closed."

3. Interpersonal Proximity: Intimacy or closeness, ranging from affection to clandestine collusion or conspiratorial plotting.

4. Procedural Precision: Meticulousness or thoroughness; a process performed "without gaps," meaning it is precise and exhaustive.

• Adjective: dense, secret, intimate, meticulous.
• Adverb: closely, secretly, thoroughly/precisely.

When contrasted with 秘 (secret), 密 frequently emphasizes the exclusion of others (the "closed-door" aspect) rather than the inherent mystery of the subject.

• Semantic variant: U+5BBB.

// Tang-period reading: //myit (Fanqie: 美畢).

When choosing between "secret" and "intimate," look to the noun: information tends toward secrecy, while relationships tend toward intimacy or collusion.