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中

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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

Translingual

More information Stroke order ...
More information Stroke order ...

Han character

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

Derived characters

Additional Derived Characters

References

  • Kangxi Dictionary: page 79, character 3
  • Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 73
  • Dae Jaweon: page 158, character 6
  • Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 28, character 10
  • Unihan data for U+4E2D
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Chinese

More information simp. and trad., alternative forms ...
Wikipedia has articles on:
  • 中 (Written Standard Chinese?)
  • 中 (Cantonese)
  • 中 (Gan)

Glyph origin

More information Historical forms of the character 中, Shang ...
Characters in the same phonetic series (中) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 
More information Old Chinese ...

Pictogram (象形) – a flagpole, as depicted in its original form 𠁩. 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:
  • Dialectal data
More information Variety, Location ...
More information Rime, Character ...
More information Character, Reading # ...
More information Zhengzhang system (2003), Character ...

Definitions

中

  1. middle; center
    居中  ―  jūzhōng  ―  to be placed in the middle
    華中／华中  ―  Huázhōng  ―  Central China
  2. medium; intermediary
    中型  ―  zhōngxíng  ―  medium-size; mid-size
    這件夾克有三個尺碼：小、中、大。 [MSC, trad.]
    这件夹克有三个尺码：小、中、大。 [MSC, simp.]
    Zhè jiàn jiākè yǒu sān ge chǐmǎ: xiǎo, zhōng, dà. [Pinyin]
    You can get the jacket in three sizes - small, medium and large.
  3. within; among; in
    水中  ―  shuǐ zhōng  ―  in the water
    我們中間有一個15歲的女孩。 [MSC, trad.]
    我们中间有一个15岁的女孩。 [MSC, simp.]
    Wǒmen zhōngjiān yǒu yīge 15 suì de nǚhái. [Pinyin]
    A 15-year-old girl was among us.
    他在事故中受傷。 [MSC, trad.]
    他在事故中受伤。 [MSC, simp.]
    Tā zài shìgù zhōng shòushāng. [Pinyin]
    He was injured in the accident.
  4. while; in the process of; during; in the middle of
    發展中國家／发展中国家  ―  fāzhǎn zhōng guójiā  ―  developing countries
    網頁正在建設中。 [MSC, trad.]
    网页正在建设中。 [MSC, simp.]
    Wǎngyè zhèngzài jiànshè zhōng. [Pinyin]
    The website is under construction.
  5. to be fit for
    中用  ―  zhōngyòng  ―  to be useful
    中聽／中听  ―  zhōngtīng  ―  pleasant to the ear
  6. heart; innermost being
  7. intermediary
  8. (dialectal) all right; OK
  9. (Cantonese) This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.
    五四中二十 [Cantonese]  ―  ng5 sei3 zung1 ji6 sap6 [Jyutping]  ―  five time four equals twenty
  10. short for 中國／中国 (Zhōngguó, “China; Chinese”)
    中醫／中医  ―  zhōngyī  ―  traditional Chinese medicine
    中美關係／中美关系  ―  Zhōng Měi guānxì  ―  China–United States relation
  11. 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
  12. 1st tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "the center" (𝌆)
  13. a surname

Synonyms

  • (China):

Compounds

Pronunciation 2

Note:
  • tiòng - literary;
  • tèng - vernacular;
  • thàng - vernacular (limited).
More information Rime, Character ...
More information Character, Reading # ...
More information Zhengzhang system (2003), Character ...

Definitions

中

  1. to hit the mark; to be correct; to be successful
    導彈成功擊中目標。 [MSC, trad.]
    导弹成功击中目标。 [MSC, simp.]
    Dǎodàn chénggōng jī zhòng mùbiāo. [Pinyin]
    The missile successfully hit the target.
    真讓他說中了。 [MSC, trad.]
    真让他说中了。 [MSC, simp.]
    Zhēn ràng tā shuō zhòng le. [Pinyin]
    He turns out to be correct.
  2. to be hit by; to suffer; to be affected by
    中暑  ―  zhòngshǔ  ―  to suffer a heat stroke
    他試圖爬走時肩膀中槍了。 [MSC, trad.]
    他试图爬走时肩膀中枪了。 [MSC, simp.]
    Tā shìtú pá zǒu shí jiānbǎng zhòngqiāng le. [Pinyin]
    As he tried to crawl away, he was hit in the shoulder.
    他中了肺炎。  ―  Tā zhòng le fèiyán.  ―  He has contracted pneumonia.
  3. to win (a prize, a lottery)
    中樂透／中乐透  ―  zhòng lètòu  ―  win a lottery
    中咗六合彩 [Cantonese]  ―  zung3 zo2 luk6 hap6 coi2 [Jyutping]  ―  won the lottery
Synonyms
  • (Singapore Hokkien) 著 (tio̍h)

Compounds

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (中):

Others:

  • → Vietnamese: đúng (“correct”)
  • → Japanese: 中(チュン) (chun, “red dragon (mahjong tile)”)
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Japanese

Korean

Old Korean

Vietnamese

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