中

zhōng
#14 most
frequent character
middle, in
adjective
preposition

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

中 is a picture of a flag used in war and training, so its first meaning was 'flag'. The meaning grew to 'center', then 'in, inside', 'during', and 'intermediate'. Read zhòng, it also means to affect, match, or get.

Drawn as: flag; war campaign; soldier training

中 as a component in other characters

meaning2 characters
仲衷
sound10 characters
种冲钟忠仲肿衷忡盅舯

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Example Sentences

他在中间。
tāzài zhōngjiān 。
He is in the middle.
桌子中有一本书。
zhuōzǐ zhōngyǒu yīběnshū 。
There is a book in the middle of the table.
这个箱子很重，放在中间比较好。
zhègè xiāngzǐ hěn zhòng ， fàngzài zhōngjiān bǐjiào hǎo 。
This box is heavy, it's better to place it in the middle.

Grammar Points

HSK 5
Expressing "from" with "cong... zhong"从…中
HSK 5
Expressing "among" with "dangzhong"
Comparing "zhijian" and “zhongjian"

Same Characters, Different Readings

中Zhong1
(bound form) China, Chinese
中zhòng
to hit (the mark), to be hit by

Words with similar meanings

中间zhōngjiān
middle
More specific in referring to a position within two points.

Homophones

忠zhōng
loyal, devoted, faithful
终zhōng
end, finish

Words Starting With 中

中午zhōng wǔ
noon; midday
中国Zhong1 guó
China; Middle Kingdom
中间zhōng jiān
between; intermediate; mid; middle
中文Zhong1 wén
Chinese; Chinese written language; Chinese writing
中介zhōng jiè
to act as intermediary; to link; intermediate; inter-; agency; agent

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