Korean word

중

Pronunciation

Romanizationchung

Meaning

  • nounduring

Example

식사 중에 전화가 왔어요.sik ssa chung e cheon hwa ga wa sseo yo

I got a phone call during the meal.

Illustration for 중 (during)

More examples

운전 중에는 휴대폰을 사용하면 위험해요.un jeon chung e neun hyu dae po neul sa yong ha myeon wi heom hae yo

It is dangerous to use a mobile phone while driving.

Core concept

A point inside an ongoing time or situation, with the activity still underway rather than finished.

Common phrases

  • 식사 중에sik ssa chung e

    during a meal

  • 운전 중에un jeon chung e

    while driving

  • 수업 중에su eop chung e

    during class

Similar words

사이sai: The space or time separating two things or the bond linking people.
동안tongan: A period of time in which an event occurs or a condition remains.

Definition in Korean

시간이나 상태의 한복판에 있음을 가리키는 명사로, 주로 다른 명사 뒤에 붙어 한창 진행 중임을 나타낸다si ga ni na sang tae ui han bok pa ne i sseu meul ka ri ki neun myeong sa ro chu ro ta reun myeong sa twi e pu teo han chang chin haeng chung i meul na ta naen da

Word origin

The word comes from the Sino-Korean reading jung of a Chinese character meaning middle, which developed a use for an activity in progress.

Usage tips

  • English usually puts during before a noun, but Korean places this form after the noun, so it is a useful signal that the activity is underway.

Other meanings

  • in the middle ofnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word