ChiramiN5 kanji · 4 strokes
中 means middle, inside
口 a box · 丨 a line through it
中Real origin
A line straight through the middle of a box: middle, inside.
Real origin: where the kanji comes from, as far as scholars agree.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- middle, in, inside, mean
- JLPT level
- N5
- Strokes
- 4
- School grade
- Grade 1 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) なか naka
なか (naka) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
Other Japanese readings: うち uchi, あたる ataru
From Chinese (onyomi) チュウ chuu
チュウ (chuu) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
真ん中 まんなか · mannaka
middle, centre
Built from
- 口 mouth
- 丨 a line
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
Quick check
What does 中 mean?
Right: 中 means middle, inside.Not quite: 中 means middle, inside.In 真ん中, which reading does 中 use?
Right. 真ん中 is read まんなか (mannaka): 中 takes なか, its Japanese reading.Not quite. 真ん中 is read まんなか (mannaka): 中 takes なか, its Japanese reading.