中: the kanji for middle and inside
中 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means middle, inside. Below are its readings, 15 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
中 is written in 4 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
中 has 3 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 15 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
チュウ (chuu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 中心ちゅうしん · chūshin | center |
| 中止ちゅうし · chūshi | cancellation |
| 中国ちゅうごく · Chūgoku | China |
| 中学校ちゅうがっこう · chūgakkō | junior high school |
| 途中とちゅう · tochū | on the way; midway |
| 中旬ちゅうじゅん · chūjun | the middle ten days of a month |
| 会議中かいぎちゅう · kaigichū | in a meeting |
| 中古ちゅうこ · chūko | used; secondhand |
ジュウ (juu)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 一日中いちにちじゅう · ichinichijū | all day long |
| 世界中せかいじゅう · sekaijū | all over the world |
| 一年中いちねんじゅう · ichinenjū | all year round |
なか (naka)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 中なか · naka | inside |
| 真ん中まんなか · mannaka | the very middle |
| 背中せなか · senaka | back (of the body) |
| 夜中よなか · yonaka | the middle of the night |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- ただいま会議中です。Tadaima kaigichū desu.We're in a meeting right now.
- 雨で試合が中止になりました。Ame de shiai ga chūshi ni narimashita.The game was canceled because of the rain.
- 途中で電話がかかってきました。Tochū de denwa ga kakatte kimashita.I got a phone call on the way.
- かばんの中に財布があります。Kaban no naka ni saifu ga arimasu.My wallet is in my bag.
- 今日は一日中忙しかったです。Kyō wa ichinichijū isogashikatta desu.I was busy all day today.
- この会社は世界中に支店があります。Kono kaisha wa sekaijū ni shiten ga arimasu.This company has branches all over the world.
Questions about 中
How many strokes does 中 have?
中 is written in 4 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 中?
The on readings are chuu (チュウ), juu (ジュウ). The kun readings are naka (なか).
When is 中 read chū and when is it read jū?
Chū is common, as in 会議中 (kaigichū, in a meeting). Jū is used after a word for a period or a place to mean "throughout," as in 一日中 (ichinichijū, all day) and 世界中 (sekaijū, all over the world).
What JLPT level is 中?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Places and directions
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 中
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.