中

See also: 𝌆, Φ, and Ф
中 U+4E2D, 中
CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-4E2D
← 丬
[U+4E2C] 		CJK Unified Ideographs 丮 →
[U+4E2E]

Translingual
Stroke order
Stroke order

Han character

中 (radical 2, 丨+3, 4 strokes, cangjie input 中 (L), four-corner 50006, composition ⿻口丨)

Derived characters

References

Wikidata

  • KangXi: page 79, character 3
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 73
  • Dae Jaweon: page 158, character 6
  • Hanyu Da Zidian: volume 1, page 28, character 10
  • Unihan data for U+4E2D

Chinese
simp. and trad.
 中
variant forms 𠁦
𠁧
𠁩
𠔈
𠔗

Glyph origin
Historical forms of the character 中
Shang Western Zhou Spring and Autumn Warring States Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) Liushutong (compiled in Ming) Libian (compiled in Qing)
Bronze inscriptions Oracle bone script Bronze inscriptions Bronze inscriptions Bronze inscriptions Chu Slip and silk script Qin slip script Shizhoupian script Ancient script Small seal script Transcribed ancient scripts Clerical script
Oracle bone script

j00886

j00887

j00888

j00889

j00890

j00891

j00892

j00893

j00894

j00895

j00896

j00897

j00898

j00899

j00900

j00901

j00902

j00903

j00904

j00905

j00906

j00907

j00908

j00909

j00910

j00911

j00912

j00913

j00914

j00915

j00916

j00917

j00918

j00919

Bronze inscriptions

b00634

b00635

b00636

b00637

b00638

b00639

b00640

b00641

b00642

b00643

b00644

b00645

b00646

b00647

b00648

b00649

b00650

b00651

b00652

b00653

b00654

b00655

b00656

b00657

b00658

b00659

b00660

b00661

b00662

b00663

b00664

b00665

b00666

b00667

b00668

b00669

b00670

b00671

b00672

b00673

b00674

b00675

b00676

b00677

b00678

b00679

Small seal script

s00273

s00274

s00275

References:

Mostly from Richard Sears' Chinese Etymology site (authorisation),
which in turn draws data from various collections of ancient forms of Chinese characters, including:

  • Shuowen Jiezi (small seal),
  • Jinwen Bian (bronze inscriptions),
  • Liushutong (Liushutong characters) and
  • Yinxu Jiaguwen Bian (oracle bone script).
Characters in the same phonetic series (中) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
Old Chinese
中 *tuŋ, *tuŋs
忠 *tuŋ
衷 *tuŋ, *tuŋs
忡 *tʰuŋ
浺 *tʰuŋ
盅 *tʰuŋ, *duŋ, *tjoŋ
种 *duŋ
沖 *duŋ
翀 *duŋ
仲 *duŋs

Pictogram (象形) – a flagpole. Based on archaeological evidence, the middle box has been interpreted as a drum (建鼓). This flagpole with a drum was placed in the center of a field to gather people and to detect the direction of the wind. In addition, the pronunciation of 中 (OC *tuŋ, *tuŋs) is reminiscent of the beating of a drum.

Shuowen interprets the character as a vertical stroke 丨 passing through the center of 口, indicating the center.

It has also been interpreted as an arrow in the center of a target.

Etymology

“Middle; centre” (Pronunciation 1) > “to hit the centre; to attain” (Pronunciation 2).

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *t/duŋ. Cognate with Tibetan གཞུང (gzhung, “middle, center”).

Related to:

  • 衷 (OC *tuŋ, *tuŋs, “middle; inner garment; inner feelings”);
  • 仲 (OC *duŋs, “second (of the brothers or months)”).

Pronunciation 1
Note:
  • chûng, zung1 - literary;
  • tûng, dung4 - vernacular.
Note:
  • dé̤ng - literary;
  • dô̤ng - vernacular.
  • Min Dong
    • (Fuzhou)
      • Bàng-uâ-cê: dṳ̆ng / dŏng
      • IPA (key): /tyŋ⁵⁵/, /touŋ⁵⁵/
Note:
  • dṳ̆ng - literary;
  • dŏng - vernacular.
Note:
  • Quanzhou:
    • tiong - literary;
    • tng - vernacular (limited, e.g. 中秋);
    • teng - vernacular (in place names, e.g. 田中, 湖中);
    • thang - vernacular (limited).
Note:
  • dang1 - vernacular;
  • dong1 - literary.
  • Dialectal data▼
Variety Location 中
Mandarin Beijing /ʈ͡ʂuŋ⁵⁵/
Harbin /ʈ͡ʂuŋ⁴⁴/
Tianjin /t͡suŋ²¹/
Jinan /ʈ͡ʂuŋ²¹³/
Qingdao /ʈ͡ʂəŋ²¹³/
Zhengzhou /ʈ͡ʂuŋ²⁴/
Xi'an /p͡fəŋ²¹/
Xining /ʈ͡ʂuə̃⁴⁴/
Yinchuan /ʈ͡ʂuŋ⁴⁴/
Lanzhou /p͡fə̃n³¹/
Ürümqi /ʈ͡ʂuŋ⁴⁴/
Wuhan /t͡soŋ⁵⁵/
Chengdu /t͡soŋ⁵⁵/
Guiyang /t͡soŋ⁵⁵/
Kunming /ʈ͡ʂoŋ⁴⁴/
Nanjing /ʈ͡ʂoŋ³¹/
Hefei /ʈ͡ʂəŋ²¹/
Jin Taiyuan /t͡suəŋ¹¹/
Pingyao /t͡suŋ¹³/
Hohhot /t͡sũŋ³¹/
Wu Shanghai /t͡soŋ⁵³/
Suzhou /t͡soŋ⁵⁵/
Hangzhou /t͡soŋ³³/
Wenzhou /t͡ɕoŋ³³/
Hui Shexian /t͡sʌ̃³¹/
Tunxi /t͡san¹¹/
Xiang Changsha /ʈ͡ʂoŋ³³/
Xiangtan /ʈ͡ʂən³³/
Gan Nanchang /t͡suŋ⁴²/
Hakka Meixian /tuŋ⁴⁴/ ～心
/t͡suŋ⁴⁴/ ～間
Taoyuan /tuŋ²⁴/
Cantonese Guangzhou /t͡soŋ⁵³/
Nanning /t͡suŋ⁵⁵/
Hong Kong /t͡suŋ⁵⁵/
Min Xiamen (Min Nan) /tiɔŋ⁵⁵/
Fuzhou (Min Dong) /tyŋ⁴⁴/
Jian'ou (Min Bei) /tœyŋ⁵⁴/
/tœyŋ³³/ ～奬
Shantou (Min Nan) /toŋ³³/
/taŋ³³/
Haikou (Min Nan) /toŋ²³/
Rime
Character 中
Reading # 1/2
Initial (聲) 知 (9)
Final (韻) 東 (2)
Tone (調) Level (Ø)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 陟弓切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang		 /ʈɨuŋ/
Pan
Wuyun		 /ʈiuŋ/
Shao
Rongfen		 /ȶiuŋ/
Edwin
Pulleyblank		 /ʈuwŋ/
Li
Rong		 /ȶiuŋ/
Wang
Li		 /ȶĭuŋ/
Bernard
Karlgren		 /ȶi̯uŋ/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex		 zhōng
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 中
Reading # 1/2
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)		 zhōng
Middle
Chinese		 ‹ trjuwng ›
Old
Chinese		 /*truŋ/
English center

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 中
Reading # 1/2
No. 17407
Phonetic
component		 中
Rime
group		 終
Rime
subdivision		 0
Corresponding
MC rime		 中
Old
Chinese		 /*tuŋ/

Definitions

中

  1. middle; center
  2. medium; intermediary
  3. within; among; in
  4. while; in the process of; during; in the middle of
  5. (dialectal) all right; OK
  6. Short for 中國／中国 (Zhōngguó, “China; Chinese”).
    • 中美關係 / 中美关系  ―  Zhōng Měi guānxì  ―  China–United States relation
  7. Short for 中學／中学 (zhōngxué, “middle school”). Used only in the abbreviation of the name.
    三中  ―  Sān Zhōng  ―  No.3 Middle School
  8. 1st tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "the center" (𝌆)
  9. A surname​. Zhong

Compounds
Derived terms from 中

Pronunciation 2
Note:
  • tiòng - literary;
  • tèng - vernacular;
  • thàng - vernacular (limited).
Note:
  • dong3 - literary;
  • dêng3 - vernacular.
  • Wu
  • Xiang
    • (Changsha)
      • Wiktionary: zhong4
      • IPA (key) (old-style): /t͡ʂʊŋ⁴⁵/
      • IPA (key) (new-style): /t͡sən⁴⁵/
Rime
Character 中
Reading # 2/2
Initial (聲) 知 (9)
Final (韻) 東 (2)
Tone (調) Departing (H)
Openness (開合) Open
Division (等) III
Fanqie 陟仲切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang
Shangfang		 /ʈɨuŋH/
Pan
Wuyun		 /ʈiuŋH/
Shao
Rongfen		 /ȶiuŋH/
Edwin
Pulleyblank		 /ʈuwŋH/
Li
Rong		 /ȶiuŋH/
Wang
Li		 /ȶĭuŋH/
Bernard
Karlgren		 /ȶi̯uŋH/
Expected
Mandarin
Reflex		 zhòng
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character 中
Reading # 2/2
Modern
Beijing
(Pinyin)		 zhòng
Middle
Chinese		 ‹ trjuwngH ›
Old
Chinese		 /*truŋ-s/
English hit the center

Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:

* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;

* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character 中
Reading # 2/2
No. 17410
Phonetic
component		 中
Rime
group		 終
Rime
subdivision		 0
Corresponding
MC rime		 中
Old
Chinese		 /*tuŋs/

Definitions

中

  1. to hit the mark; to be correct; to be successful
  2. to be hit by; to suffer; to be affected by
  3. to win (a prize, a lottery)
    • 中樂透 / 中乐透  ―  zhòng lètòu  ―  win a lottery

Compounds
Derived terms from 中

Japanese

Kanji
中

(grade 1 “Kyōiku” kanji)

Readings

Compounds
Compounds

Common:

Uncommon:

Etymology 1
Kanji in this term
中
なか
Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Pronunciation

Noun

中 (hiragana なか, rōmaji naka)

  1. inside
  2. middle
Derived terms

Proper noun

中 (hiragana なか, rōmaji Naka)

  1. A surname​.

See also
  • Appendix:Gikun_Usage_in_Meiji_Version_of_Japanese_Bible/中央

Etymology 2
Kanji in this term
中
ちゅう
Grade: 1
on’yomi

From Middle Chinese 中 (MC ʈɨuŋ).

Pronunciation

Noun

中 (hiragana ちゅう, rōmaji chū)

  1. middle, medium
    大 (だい)中 (ちゅう)小 (しょう)
    dai chū shō
    large, medium and small
  2. average; neither good nor poor
    中 (ちゅう)の出 (で)来 (き)映 (ば)え
    chū no dekibae
    an average performance
  3. during; being in the process of doing
  4. second volume of a three volume set

Proper noun

中 (hiragana ちゅう, rōmaji Chū)

  1. short form for China or Chinese; Sino- (prefix)
    日 (にっ)中 (ちゅう)関 (かん)係 (けい)
    Nitchū kankei
    Sino-Japanese relations

Suffix

中 (hiragana ちゅう, rōmaji -chū)

  1. being in the process of doing
    ダウンロード中 (ちゅう)
    daunrōdo-chū
    downloading; download in progress
    メンテ中 (ちゅう)
    mente-chū
    currently in maintenance
    インストール中 (ちゅう)
    insutōru-chū
    installing
    準 (じゅん)備 (び)中 (ちゅう)
    junbichū
    currently in preparation

Etymology 3
Kanji in this term
中
じゅう
Grade: 1
on’yomi

Pronunciation

Suffix

中 (hiragana じゅう, rōmaji -jū, historical hiragana ぢゅう)

  1. during, in the course of, throughout
    世 (せ)界 (かい)中 (じゅう)
    sekaijū
    throughout the world
    体 (からだ)中 (じゅう)
    karadajū
    throughout the body
  2. all over, everywhere

Usage notes

The distinction between じゅう (jū) and ちゅう (chū) can be somewhat confusing: じゅう (jū) means throughout, in all places, as in 一日中 (ichinichijū, “all day long”) or 体中 (karadajū, “throughout the body”), while ちゅう (chū) means within, but not everywhere, as in 授業中 (jugyōchū, “in class, during class”). Contrast “I worked on this all day long” with “I worked on this in class (but not necessarily for the entire time)”.

Etymology 4
Kanji in this term
中
うち
Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

Noun

中 (hiragana うち, rōmaji uchi)

  1. inside

Usage notes

内 is the most common kanji for this pronunciation.

Etymology 5

Various nanori readings.

Proper noun

中 (hiragana あたり, rōmaji Atari)

  1. A surname​.

中 (hiragana あたる, rōmaji Ataru)

  1. A female given name

Etymology 6
Kanji in this term
中
ちゅん
Grade: 1
Irregular

Pronunciation
  • (Irregular reading)
    • IPA(key): [t͡ɕɨ̃ᵝɴ]

Noun

中 (katakana チュン, rōmaji chun)

  1. (mahjong) red dragon (tile)

See also

References
  1. 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
  2. 1998, NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 (NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: NHK, →ISBN

Korean

Hanja

中 (eumhun 가운데 중 (gaunde jung))

  1. Hanja form? of 중 (“middle; center; amongst”).

Compounds
Compounds

Vietnamese

Han character

中: Hán Việt readings: trung (陟(trắc)弓(cung)切(thiết))[1][2][3][4][5], trúng[1][2][3][4][5]
中: Nôm readings: trúng[1][2][3][4][6], trong[1][2][3][7], trung[1][2][4][6], truồng[3][4][5][6], đúng[3], truông[7]

  1. Hán tự form of trung (“middle”).
  2. Hán tự form of trúng (“to hit”).
  3. Nôm form of trong (“in; inside; within”).

Compounds
Compounds

References
  1. Nguyễn (2014).
  2. Nguyễn et al. (2009).
  3. Trần (2004).
  4. Bonet (1899).
  5. Génibrel (1898).
  6. Taberd & Pigneau de Béhaine (1838).
  7. Hồ (1976).
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