Number:
487
中 middle
ONYOMI: CHUU
Let's call the vertical line your tongue.
So you could say,
Your tongue is sticking out the middle of your mouth, and you are CHEWing on it. (FYI you are epileptic)
DESCRIPTION: It means the physical middle of something, but also means "in the middle of doing something."
KUNYOMI:
- なか
-
inside something -Usually, XXXの中である。
JUKUGO:
USED IN:
- 世の中 ( よのなか )
-
the social, everyday world - more poetic than 世界。 Used in dramatic declarations like, "I'm sick of this fuckin' world!" "I don't care about this life!" "Poor Kurt Cobain, he was just too sensitive for this cruel world!" Also, usually implies JUST Japanese society.
世 (society) + 中 (middle) = 世の中 (the world)
- 中学校 ( ちゅうがっこう )
-
middle school
中 (middle) + 学校 (school) = 中学校 (middle school)
- 真ん中 ( まんなか )
-
the very center
(KUNKUN)
真 (truth) + 中 (middle) = 真ん中 (the very center)
- 中央 ( ちゅうおう )
-
central. Tokyo has a famous train line: 中央線、(the central line).
中 (middle) + 央 (central) = 中央 (central)
- 中級 の ( ちゅうきゅう の)
-
intermediate-level
中 (middle) + 級 (level) = 中級 (intermediate-level)
- 中止 された ( ちゅうし された)
-
(temporarily) stopped or (permanently) canceled. This is a word you'd hear in an announcement. You wouldn't say to your friend, "I'm going to 中止 watching TV for a week."
(NP)
中 (middle) + 止 (stop) = 中止 (stop/cancel)
- ｘｘｘ 中 (ｘｘｘ ちゅう )
-
in the middle of doing XXX.
XXX is always a noun: 電話中 （電話中）means 'I'm on the phone right now!' (SUF)