Can a private method be overridden in Java?

No, a private method cannot be overridden in Java.

Here's why :

Visibility: The private access modifier means that a method (or variable) is only accessible within the class in which it is declared. Subclasses, even if they are in the same package, cannot access private members of the superclass.
Overriding Mechanism: Method overriding occurs when a subclass provides a specific implementation for a method that is already defined in its superclass. The subclass method must have the same signature (name and parameter types) as the superclass method. Because a subclass cannot even see a private method of the superclass, it cannot provide an overriding implementation.
Hiding, Not Overriding: If a subclass declares a method with the same signature as a private method in the superclass, it's not overriding. It's hiding the superclass method. The subclass effectively creates its own, entirely separate method with the same name. There's no polymorphism involved; the superclass's private method remains inaccessible and unaffected.

Example :

class Superclass {
    private void myMethod() {
        System.out.println("Superclass's myMethod");
    }

    public void callMethod() {
        myMethod(); // Accessing the private method within the same class
    }
}

class Subclass extends Superclass {
    // This is NOT overriding; it's hiding
    private void myMethod() {
        System.out.println("Subclass's myMethod");
    }

    // Even if we try to use public access:
    // public void myMethod() { // Still hiding, not overriding
    //     System.out.println("Subclass's myMethod");
    // }

    public void callSubclassMethod() {
        myMethod(); // Calls the Subclass's myMethod
    }
}

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        Superclass superClass = new Superclass();
        Subclass subclass = new Subclass();

        superClass.callMethod();      // Output: Superclass's myMethod
        subclass.callMethod();       // Output: Superclass's myMethod (still calls the superclass method, it's not overridden!)
        subclass.callSubclassMethod(); // Output: Subclass's myMethod
    }
}

As you can see, even though Subclass has a myMethod, it doesn't override the Superclass's myMethod. When subclass.callMethod() is invoked, it still calls the myMethod defined in Superclass because the Subclass's myMethod is a completely separate, private method within the Subclass.

In short, private methods are not part of the inheritance hierarchy in Java. They are confined to the class in which they are declared. Therefore, they cannot be overridden.