中 (zhōng) - center, middle & within, among

中Tone 1

zhōng ｜ 4 strokes ｜ radical: 丨

志

中 · zhōng

center, middle;

within, among;

China, Chinese;

to hit the target;

medium, average

center, middlewithin, amongChina, Chinese

Usage highlights

ChinaChinese languagemiddle schoolnooncentermedium

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 外— outside, external
  • 边— edge, border
  • 偏— biased, partial

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • China (中国) is a country with a long history.
  • The book is on the table (在桌子上).
  • He is a middle school student (中学生).
  • This is a medium-sized shirt (中号).

Collocations

  • China(中国)
  • Chinese language(中文)
  • middle school(中学)
  • noon(中午)
  • center(中心)
  • medium(中号)

Idioms

  • Neither too hard nor too soft(不中不西)
  • To hit the bull's eye(正中靶心)
  • The center of attention(众矢之的)
  • Neither fish nor fowl(不中不西)
  • A golden mean(中庸之道)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically refers to the 'Middle Kingdom' - China's traditional name for itself as the center of civilization.
  • Represents the Confucian concept of the 'Golden Mean' (中庸) - avoiding extremes and maintaining balance.
  • Central to Chinese cosmology as the position between heaven and earth.

FAQ