中间 meaning in English
the middle; the inside; in the middle; within; between; among
Meaning of 中间
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- the middle; the inside
- in the middle; within; between; among
- during; in the meantime
How to use 中间
中间 is used for physical position, for being between or among people or things, and for a point within a period of time. It often follows a noun, as in 我们中间 (wǒmen zhōngjiān) among us. Example: 他坐在我和妈妈中间。(Tā zuò zài wǒ hé māma zhōngjiān.) He sits between me and my mom.
中 (zhōng) looks like a line running straight through the center of a box, so it means middle. 间 (jiān) means a space or gap, the same 间 you see in 房间 (fángjiān) room and 时间 (shíjiān) time. Put them together and you get the space in the middle.
Common mistake: Learners often say 在中间我和你 to mean between you and me. In Chinese the things come first and 中间 comes last: 在我和你中间 (zài wǒ hé nǐ zhōngjiān). Also keep the first tone on both syllables, zhōngjiān, and do not read 间 as jiàn.
中间 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
中 zhōng · within · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
间 jiān · between · 7 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
Related words
Words that share a character with 中间.
| 时间 | shíjiān | (concept of) time; (duration of) time |
| 房间 | fángjiān | room |
| 中国 | Zhōngguó | China |
| 洗手间 | xǐshǒujiān | toilet; lavatory |
| 中午 | zhōngwǔ | noon; midday |
| 中学 | zhōngxué | middle school |
| 中文 | Zhōngwén | Chinese language |
| 中学生 | zhōngxuéshēng | middle-school student; high school student |
| 其中 | qízhōng | among; in |
| 中心 | zhōngxīn | center; heart; core |
| 高中 | gāozhōng | senior high school (abbr. for 高級中學|高级中学[gao1 ji2 zhong1 xue2]) |
| 心中 | xīnzhōng | central point; in one's thoughts |
Questions about 中间
What does 中间 mean?
中间 (zhōngjiān) means "the middle; the inside; in the middle; within; between; among" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 中间?
中间 is made of 2 characters: 中 (4 strokes), 间 (7 strokes). That is 11 strokes in total.
Is 中间 an HSK word?
Yes. 中间 is on the HSK 1 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 中间 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 中间 is written 中間.
What is the difference between 中间 and 中心?
中间 (zhōngjiān) is the middle position or the space between things. 中心 (zhōngxīn) means a center or central point, and it is also used for places like 购物中心 (gòuwù zhōngxīn) shopping center.
Can 中间 be used for time?
Yes. It can mean partway through an event, as in 电影中间他走了 (diànyǐng zhōngjiān tā zǒu le) He left in the middle of the movie. It can also mean in the meantime between two events.