JLPT N5 grammar

〜中（ちゅう）／中（じゅう）meaning and usage

Meaning

中（じゅう） means throughout an entire period or all over an area. 中（ちゅう） means during a period or while an activity is in progress.

How to form it

  • noun中（ちゅう）
  • noun中（じゅう）

How it is used

Read 「じゅう」, it means “throughout” a time or place: 「一日中」, 「世界中」. Read 「ちゅう」, it follows an activity noun for “in the middle of” (「電話中」) or a period for “within” (「今週中」).

Examples

  1. 日本では6月中に何度も雨が降りました。

    In Japan, it rained many times during June.

  2. きのうは一日中雨でした。

    It rained all day yesterday.

  3. すみません、父は今、電話中です。

    Sorry, my father is on the phone right now.

About the example Here 6月中（ちゅう）に means “during June.” 何度も says that it rained several times within that month; it does not say that rain continued all month.