中 — Kanji Reference

中 (middle, inside): 4 strokes, JLPT N5. On: チュウ. Kun: なか.

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中

Property Value
Meaning middle, inside
Strokes 4
JLPT Level N5
On-reading (音読み) チュウ
Kun-reading (訓読み) なか
Radical 丨 (tatebō - vertical line) [U+4E28]

Stroke Order

The kanji 中 is written in 4 strokes following the standard top-to-bottom, left-to-right rule:

  1. Stroke 1: The vertical line on the left side of the box (top to bottom).
  2. Stroke 2: The top horizontal line, then turning down to form the right side of the box (a single continuous motion).
  3. Stroke 3: The bottom horizontal line of the box (left to right).
  4. Stroke 4: The long vertical line that pierces through the center of the box (top to bottom).

Radical Analysis

The radical is 丨 (tatebō), representing a vertical line. Visually, the kanji depicts a square (a container or boundary) with a line passing directly through the center. This pictograph represents an object being pierced or something positioned exactly in the middle of a space.

Mnemonic

  • The Flagpole: Imagine a square courtyard (the box) with a tall flagpole (the vertical line) standing exactly in the middle.
  • The Target: Imagine a square target. You have aimed your arrow perfectly and hit the inside center of the target.

On-readings (音読み) with Examples

チュウ (chū)

Word Reading Romaji English
中国 ちゅうごく Chūgoku China
中学 ちゅうがく Chūgaku Middle school
一日中 いちにちじゅう Ichinichijū All day long
中心 ちゅうしん Chūshin Center

Kun-readings (訓読み) with Examples

なか (naka)

Word Reading Romaji English
中 なか Naka Inside / Middle
背中 せなか Senaka Back (of the body)
中身 なかみ Nakami Contents

JLPT N5 Words Using 中

Word Reading Romaji English JLPT
中 なか Naka Inside N5
一日中 いちにちじゅう Ichinichijū All day N5
中国 ちゅうごく Chūgoku China N5
中学校 ちゅうがっこう Chūgakkō Junior high school N5
背中 せなか Senaka Back N5
中々 なかなか Nakanaka Quite / Rather N4
中心 ちゅうしん Chūshin Center N4
中止 ちゅうし Chūshi Cancellation N4
途中 とちゅう Tochū On the way N4
集中 しゅうちゅう Shūchū Concentration N3

Example Sentences

Japanese Reading Romaji English
箱の中に何がありますか。 はこのなかに なにが ありますか。 Hako no naka ni nani ga arimasu ka. What is inside the box?
彼は一日中勉強しています。 かれは いちにちじゅう べんきょうしています。 Kare wa ichinichijū benkyō shite imasu. He is studying all day long.
私は中学校の先生です。 わたしは ちゅうがっこうの せんせいです。 Watashi wa chūgakkō no sensei desu. I am a middle school teacher.
部屋の中心に机があります。 へやの ちゅうしんに つくえが あります。 Heya no chūshin ni tsukue ga arimasu. There is a desk in the center of the room.
試合は雨で中止になりました。 しあいは あめで ちゅうしに なりました。 Shiai wa ame de chūshi ni narimashita. The game was cancelled due to rain.
彼は背中が痛いです。 かれは せなかが いたいです。 Kare wa senaka ga itai desu. His back hurts.

Common Confusion Pairs

Kanji Reading Meaning How to distinguish
中 ちゅう Middle Has a vertical line piercing the center.
申 モウ To say The vertical line extends out of the top and bottom.
田 デン Rice field Divided into four quadrants, no line piercing through.

Usage Frequency Note

中 is one of the most frequently used kanji in the Japanese language. It appears in almost every newspaper, book, and casual conversation. It is highly versatile, used to denote physical location (inside), temporal duration (all day/all month), and abstract concepts (center/focus). It is essential for daily communication.