# 中 middle

口 (mouth/small box radical) + 一 (one/line radical)
★★★★★
4 strokes
STRONG
It means the physical middle of something, but also means "in the middle of doing something."

## Onyomi

CHUU |

## Mnemonic

| 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)

## Kunyomi

なか | inside something -Usually, XXXの中である。 ★★★★★

## Jukugo

世の中(よのなか) | the world ★★★★☆ 世 (society) + 中 (middle) = 世の中 (the world) 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.
真ん中(まんなか) | the very center ★★★☆☆ KUNKUN 真 (really) + 中 (middle) = 真ん中 (the very center)
中学校(ちゅうがっこう) | middle school ★★★☆☆ 中 (middle) + 学校 (school) = 中学校 (middle school)
中央(ちゅうおう) | central ★★★☆☆ 中 (middle) + 央 (central) = 中央 (central) central. Tokyo has a famous train line: 中央線、(the central line).
中級(ちゅうきゅう) の | intermediate-level ★★★☆☆ 中 (middle) + 級 (level) = 中級 (intermediate-level)
中止(ちゅうし) された | stop/cancel ★★☆☆☆ NP 中 (middle) + 止 (stop) = 中止 (stop/cancel) (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."
ｘｘｘ 中(ちゅう) | in the middle of xxx ★★☆☆☆ SUF 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!'

## Used In

- 仲
- 忠
- 虫
- 革

## Synonyms

be addicted to, have a bad habit of... はまる 癖になる やみつき 中毒
contents 中身 内容
neglect を　怠る 放置 怠慢 なげやり 中東半端 サボル
society, the world 世界 世の中 世間 社会 地球