Word
中間
Meaning in Englishmiddle, midway, interim
Animated kanji stroke order
Sentence
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Word context
What it means
What does 中間 mean? It denotes the position or state that lies between two points or extremes, i.e., the middle or an intermediate stage in space, time, or sequence.
Main meanings
- Middle or midpoint in space or time
- Intermediate or midway in a process or scale
- A position or option between two extremes, often used in planning or evaluation
How to use it
Used as a noun and as a modifier in compounds such as 中間地点, 中間の, and 中間層; appropriate in formal and neutral contexts, including technical writing, education, business, and everyday speech when describing something between two points or stages.
Variants and close terms
- 真ん中 (まんなか) — exact middle
- 中盤 (ちゅうばん) — middle phase
- 中途 (ちゅうと) — midway
- ど真ん中 (どまんなか) — very center
- 端/端っこ (はし/はしっこ) — edge
Composition
- 中: middle, center
- 間: interval, space
- Combination conveys being in the middle of a space or between two points
Etymology
中 and 間 combine to form a native compound read as chūkan, illustrating a straightforward semantic fusion rather than a borrowed term.
Word class
noun (名詞)
Word
Related words by kanji and components
N3
最中
saichuu
in the middle of, during
N3
夢中
muchuu
absorbed, crazy about, engrossed
N3
夜中
yonaka
midnight, middle of the night
N3
世の中
yo no naka
society, the world, social life
N3
中央
chuuou
center, middle, central area
N3
中学
chuugaku
junior high school, middle school
N3
中古
chuuko
used, secondhand
N3
中止
chuushi
cancellation, suspension, stoppage
N3
中旬
chuujun
middle third of a month, mid-month period
Kanji