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What is the Kanji for 'Center'? | 中

If you are wondering what is the Japanese Kanji for 'Center', you've come to the right place!

The Japanese Kanji for 'Center' is 中.

    kanji

    中

    Meaning

    Center

    Reading

    kunyomiなか

    naka

    onyomiちゅう

    chuu

    Parts

    口Mouth 丨Stick

    Example Word

    中: inside or middle. The Japanese noun '中 (なか)' has two primary meanings: 'inside' and 'middle'. When used to mean 'inside', it refers to the interior or inner part of something, such as a room, box, or group. For example: inside the box「箱の中」(はこのなか). When used to mean 'middle', it refers to the central part of something, such as a period of time or a physical space. For example: in the middle of the night「夜中に」(よなかに). The word is versatile and can be used in various contexts, both literal and figurative. Another example: inside the group「グループの中」(グループのなか).

    Radical

    丨

    Stroke Count

    4

    JLPT

    N5

    Grade

    1

    Frequency

    11

    Handwriting

Parts of the Kanji 中

If you visually break down this kanji, you can see it is made up of 2 parts:

    kanji

    口

    Meaning

    Mouth

    radical

    丨

    Meaning

    Stick

中 As Part Of Other Kanji

This kanji appears as part of 7 other kanji:

    kanji

    仲

    Meaning

    Relationship

    kanji

    虫

    Meaning

    Insect

    kanji

    衷

    Meaning

    Inmost, Inner heart

    kanji

    沖

    Meaning

    Open sea

    kanji

    忠

    Meaning

    Loyalty

    kanji

    貴

    Meaning

    Precious

    kanji

    遣

    Meaning

    Use, Dispatch

Words Using 中

This kanji is used in 46 words:

    word

    夢中

    Meaning

    Engrossed

    word

    中略

    Meaning

    Omission

    word

    日中

    Meaning

    Daytime, Japan China

    word

    連中

    Meaning

    Group (of people)

    word

    途中

    Meaning

    Midway, On the way

    word

    中華

    Meaning

    China, Chinese

    word

    中指

    Meaning

    Finger, Middle

    word

    中期

    Meaning

    Midterm, Mid phase

    word

    中学校

    Meaning

    Junior high

    word

    真夜中

    Meaning

    Midnight

    word

    最中

    Meaning

    Peak, Middle

    word

    真ん中

    Meaning

    Middle

    word

    背中

    Meaning

    Back

    word

    中枢

    Meaning

    Center

    word

    中途

    Meaning

    Midway

    word

    集中

    Meaning

    Concentration

    word

    中止

    Meaning

    Cancellation

    word

    中毒

    Meaning

    Addiction

    word

    水中

    Meaning

    Underwater

    word

    中断

    Meaning

    Interruption

    word

    中旬

    Meaning

    Midmonth

    word

    中立

    Meaning

    Neutrality

    word

    中心

    Meaning

    Center

    word

    お中元

    Meaning

    Mid year gift

    word

    中身

    Meaning

    Contents

    word

    夜中

    Meaning

    Midnight

    word

    中世

    Meaning

    Middle ages

    word

    中継

    Meaning

    Broadcast, Relay

    word

    中学

    Meaning

    Middle school

    word

    中間

    Meaning

    Middle, Interim

    word

    中央

    Meaning

    Center, Middle

    word

    真っ最中

    Meaning

    Midst

    word

    中

    Meaning

    Inside, Middle

    word

    中流

    Meaning

    Middle class

    word

    暑中見舞い

    Meaning

    Summer greeting

    word

    世の中

    Meaning

    World

    word

    中年

    Meaning

    Middle age

    word

    空中

    Meaning

    Sky, Air

    word

    女中

    Meaning

    Maid

    word

    中級

    Meaning

    Intermediate

    word

    年中

    Meaning

    Year round

    word

    中々

    Meaning

    Quite, Not easily

    word

    中古

    Meaning

    Used, Secondhand

    word

    中学生

    Meaning

    Middle school student

    word

    町中

    Meaning

    Town center

    word

    中国

    Meaning

    China

Kanji Related to 中 Through the Part 口

These 102 kanji contain the part 口 as well.

    kanji

    君

    Meaning

    Ruler, You

    kanji

    吉

    Meaning

    Lucky, Good luck

    kanji

    園

    Meaning

    Garden

    kanji

    囲

    Meaning

    Surround

    kanji

    名

    Meaning

    Name

    kanji

    史

    Meaning

    History

    kanji

    豆

    Meaning

    Beans

    kanji

    品

    Meaning

    Product

    kanji

    由

    Meaning

    Reason

    kanji

    船

    Meaning

    Ship

    kanji

    右

    Meaning

    Right

    kanji

    呂

    Meaning

    Bath

    kanji

    唇

    Meaning

    Lips, Lip

    kanji

    高

    Meaning

    High, Expensive

    kanji

    獣

    Meaning

    Beast, Animal

    kanji

    叫

    Meaning

    Shout

    kanji

    谷

    Meaning

    Valley

    kanji

    古

    Meaning

    Old

    kanji

    合

    Meaning

    Fit, Match

    kanji

    司

    Meaning

    Director

    kanji

    唆

    Meaning

    Entice, Instigate

    kanji

    和

    Meaning

    Peace

    kanji

    哲

    Meaning

    Sagacious, Philosophy

    kanji

    石

    Meaning

    Stone

    kanji

    舌

    Meaning

    Tongue

    kanji

    喚

    Meaning

    Yell, Call

    kanji

    目

    Meaning

    Eye

    kanji

    嘱

    Meaning

    Request, Entrust

    kanji

    語

    Meaning

    Language, Word

    kanji

    各

    Meaning

    Each

    kanji

    喪

    Meaning

    Loss, Mourn, Mourning

    kanji

    句

    Meaning

    Phrase, Paragraph

    kanji

    吐

    Meaning

    Spit, Spew

    kanji

    聖

    Meaning

    Saint, Holy

    kanji

    倉

    Meaning

    Warehouse

    kanji

    喫

    Meaning

    Ingest, Consume

    kanji

    央

    Meaning

    Center

    kanji

    噴

    Meaning

    Spout, Erupt

    kanji

    嗅

    Meaning

    Smell, Sniff

    kanji

    命

    Meaning

    Command, Life

    kanji

    味

    Meaning

    Flavor

    kanji

    善

    Meaning

    Good, Virtuous

    kanji

    吏

    Meaning

    Officer, Official

    kanji

    吸

    Meaning

    Inhale, Suck

    kanji

    京

    Meaning

    Capital

    kanji

    嘲

    Meaning

    Ridicule, Insult

    kanji

    嚇

    Meaning

    Upbraid, Menacing

    kanji

    台

    Meaning

    Pedestal, Machine

    kanji

    咲

    Meaning

    Bloom, Blossom

    kanji

    拐

    Meaning

    Kidnap

    kanji

    召

    Meaning

    Seduce, Summon

    kanji

    唐

    Meaning

    Tang dynasty

    kanji

    号

    Meaning

    Number

    kanji

    周

    Meaning

    Circumference

    kanji

    占

    Meaning

    Fortune telling

    kanji

    兄

    Meaning

    Older brother

    kanji

    嘆

    Meaning

    Sigh

    kanji

    事

    Meaning

    Thing

    kanji

    如

    Meaning

    As, Likeness

    kanji

    喝

    Meaning

    Hoarse, Shout at

    kanji

    田

    Meaning

    Rice field

    kanji

    喉

    Meaning

    Throat

    kanji

    咽

    Meaning

    Windpipe

    kanji

    問

    Meaning

    Question, Problem

    kanji

    后

    Meaning

    Empress

    kanji

    足

    Meaning

    Foot, Sufficient

    kanji

    喜

    Meaning

    Rejoice

    kanji

    加

    Meaning

    Join, Add

    kanji

    唄

    Meaning

    Shamisen song

    kanji

    豪

    Meaning

    Great man, Magnificent

    kanji

    器

    Meaning

    Vessel

    kanji

    亭

    Meaning

    Inn, Pavilion

    kanji

    否

    Meaning

    Negate

    kanji

    啓

    Meaning

    Enlighten, State respectfully

    kanji

    員

    Meaning

    Member

    kanji

    含

    Meaning

    Contain, Include

    kanji

    知

    Meaning

    Know

    kanji

    言

    Meaning

    Say

    kanji

    告

    Meaning

    Announce

    kanji

    憲

    Meaning

    Constitution

    kanji

    鳴

    Meaning

    Chirp

    kanji

    呪

    Meaning

    Curse

    kanji

    可

    Meaning

    Possible

    kanji

    唱

    Meaning

    Chant

    kanji

    因

    Meaning

    Cause

    kanji

    喩

    Meaning

    Compare, Metaphor

    kanji

    尋

    Meaning

    Inquire

    kanji

    同

    Meaning

    Same

    kanji

    唯

    Meaning

    Only, Solely

    kanji

    回

    Meaning

    Revolve, Times (counter for occurrences)

    kanji

    西

    Meaning

    West

    kanji

    日

    Meaning

    Day, Sun

    kanji

    四

    Meaning

    Four

    kanji

    束

    Meaning

    Bundle, Bind

    kanji

    哀

    Meaning

    Pity, Sorrow

    kanji

    呼

    Meaning

    Invite, Call

    kanji

    唾

    Meaning

    Sputum, Saliva

    kanji

    国

    Meaning

    Country

    kanji

    嗣

    Meaning

    Heir

    kanji

    哺

    Meaning

    Nurse, Suckle

    kanji

    害

    Meaning

    Harm

    kanji

    呈

    Meaning

    Display, Present

Kanji Related to 中 Through the Part 丨

These 25 kanji contain the part 丨 as well.

    kanji

    旧

    Meaning

    Old, Past

    kanji

    馬

    Meaning

    Horse

    kanji

    山

    Meaning

    Mountain

    kanji

    申

    Meaning

    Report

    kanji

    介

    Meaning

    Mediate, Jammed in

    kanji

    川

    Meaning

    River

    kanji

    長

    Meaning

    Long, Leader

    kanji

    面

    Meaning

    Face, Surface

    kanji

    用

    Meaning

    Use

    kanji

    止

    Meaning

    Stop

    kanji

    皿

    Meaning

    Plate

    kanji

    竹

    Meaning

    Bamboo

    kanji

    門

    Meaning

    Gate

    kanji

    十

    Meaning

    Ten

    kanji

    弟

    Meaning

    Younger brother

    kanji

    弔

    Meaning

    Mourn, Condolence

    kanji

    声

    Meaning

    Voice

    kanji

    串

    Meaning

    Spit, Skewer

    kanji

    作

    Meaning

    Make

    kanji

    候

    Meaning

    Climate

    kanji

    耳

    Meaning

    Ear

    kanji

    曲

    Meaning

    Music, Bend

    kanji

    北

    Meaning

    North

    kanji

    鹿

    Meaning

    Deer

    kanji

    引

    Meaning

    Pull

Learn the Kanji 中

Let's make sure you fully understand this kanji.

What does 中 mean?

中 means 'Center'.

Japanese school students learn this kanji in First Grade, while non-native learners often study it for the JLPT N5 exam.

To help you master this kanji, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.