middle · inside

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 中 has four strokes and indicates the inside or middle.
• Basic usage: Read なか, it means inside a space or among several things; time expressions also use ちゅう and じゅう.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Inside and among
  • 箱の中 means inside a box; 三人の中 means among three people.
  • 中 does not always identify one exact central point.
• During the morning and all day
  • 午前中 is ごぜんちゅう, while 一日中 is いちにちじゅう.
  • 午前中に届く means to arrive during the morning; 一日中降る means to rain throughout the day.
• Partway through
  • 途中, read とちゅう, refers to being on the way or partway through an activity.
  • 本を途中まで読む means to read partway through a book, not necessarily exactly halfway.