Japanese word

中心

Pronunciation

Romajichūshin

Meaning

  • nouncenter

Example

公園は町の中心です。kō en wa machi no chū shin de su

The park is the center of the town.

Illustration for 中心 (center)

More examples

この絵の中心に太陽があります。ko no e no chū shin ni tai yō ga a ri ma su

There is a sun in the center of this picture.

地図の中心に駅があります。chi zu no chū shin ni eki ga a ri ma su

There is a station at the center of the map.

Core concept

Marks the middle point of a place or thing, and by extension the part around which activity or attention gathers.

Common phrases

  • 町の中心machi no chū shin

    town center

  • 中心に近いchū shin ni chika i

    close to the center

  • 中心から離れるchū shin ka ra hana re ru

    move away from the center

Similar words

真ん中mannaka: The exact middle point or part of a place or thing.
中央chūō: The middle part of a place or thing, often used in formal or written language.

Definition in Japanese

物や場所の真ん中にある位置、または物事の最も重要な部分。mono ya ba sho no ma n naka ni a ru i chi ma ta wa mono goto no motto mo jū yō na bu bun

Word origin

中心 (chūshin, "center") combines 中 (chū, "middle") and 心 (shin, "heart"), using "heart" for the inner or essential part.

Usage tips

  • In everyday location talk, 中心 (chūshin) often means the busy central area of a town rather than its exact geometric midpoint.

Other meanings

  • focusnoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 中心的chūshintekicentralna-adjective

Word lists with this word