Chinese word

中途

Pronunciation

Pinyinzhōng tú

Meaning

  • nounon the way

Example

我们在中途休息了一会儿。wǒ men zài zhōng tú xiū xī le yí huìr

We took a short break on the way.

Illustration for 中途 (on the way)

More examples

他在中途改变了计划，改坐了另一班车。tā zài zhōng tú gǎi biàn le jì huà gǎi zuò le lìng yì bān chē

He changed his plans midway and took a different bus.

Core concept

The stretch between starting and finishing, whether the path is physical or the activity is ongoing.

Common phrases

  • 中途改变计划zhōng tú gǎi biàn jì huà

    change plans halfway

  • 在中途放弃zài zhōng tú fàng qì

    give up midway

  • 中途加入zhōng tú jiā rù

    join halfway through

Similar words

途中tú zhōng: A time or place during the course of a continuing journey or action.
中间zhōng jiān: A central position or stage within a space, period, or process.
路上lù shàng: A location on the way during travel along a road or route.

Definition in Chinese

在进行的动作或行程的中间阶段，指事情或路途尚未完成、处于半途的状态。zài jìn xíng de dòng zuò huò xíng chéng de zhōng jiān jiē duàn zhǐ shì qíng huò lù tú shàng wèi wán chéng chǔ yú bàn tú de zhuàng tài

Word origin

中 (zhōng, "middle") + 途 (tú, "route") joins a position in the middle with a path, extending the image to an unfinished process.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this word readily comes before a verb when an action changes, pauses, or stops before completion, unlike the usual English noun phrase "the middle."

Other meanings

  • middlenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 中途退学zhōng tú tuì xuédrop out of schoolverb
  • 中途加入zhōng tú jiā rùjoin halfway throughverb

Word lists with this word