Translation guide
Describes objects, substances, or materials that have a large depth or width relative to their length, or a dense, heavy consistency. The best Japanese word depends on what is thick.
Describing something with substantial depth or width, like a thick book, a thick slice of bread, or a thick wall.
The most common word for 'thick' when referring to flat objects with depth, such as books, boards, walls, or slices of food. It emphasizes the dimension of thickness.
This dictionary is very thick.
I grilled a thick steak.
Emphasizes that something is impressively or unusually thick, often with a sense of bulkiness. Commonly used for books, documents, or slices of food.
I'm reading a very thick book.
Describing a liquid or semi-liquid that is dense, viscous, or not watery.
Used for liquids that are thick in the sense of being concentrated, dense, or rich, such as thick soup, thick paint, or thick cream. It can also mean 'strong' for flavors or colors.
This soup is very thick.
I applied thick paint.
Describes a liquid that has a thick, syrupy, or viscous consistency, often used for sauces or soups. It focuses on the texture rather than concentration.
This sauce is thick and delicious.
Describes a thick, muddy, or gooey consistency, often with a negative or heavy connotation. Used for liquids that are unpleasantly thick.
This soup is thick and hard to drink.
Describing hair, fur, or plants that are dense, lush, or growing closely together.
Used for thick hair or fur, meaning dense or heavy growth. Also used for thick vegetation or forests.
She has very thick hair.
We walked through a thick forest.
Means 'densely packed' or 'thickly clustered', often used for vegetation or crowds. More formal than 濃い.
We pushed through the thick undergrowth.
Describing fog, smoke, or air that is dense and hard to see through.
Describing a strong, noticeable accent or a voice that is deep and heavy.
厚い is for physical thickness of solid objects (books, boards). 濃い is for density or concentration of liquids, gases, hair, colors, or flavors. Using 厚い for soup would be unnatural; use 濃い instead.
Do not use 厚い (atsui) for liquids. It means physically thick like a board. For thick soup or paint, use 濃い (koi) or とろみがある (toromi ga aru).
A thick fog covered the valley.
彼は太い声で話した。
He spoke in a thick voice.