중

중 U+C911, 중 HANGUL SYLLABLE JUNG Composition: ㅈ + ㅜ + ㅇ ← 줐 [U+C910] Hangul Syllables 줒 → [U+C912]

주죽죾죿준줁줂 줃줄줅줆줇줈줉 줊줋줌줍줎줏줐 중줒줓줔줕줖줗
죠 ←	→ 줘

Korean

Etymology 1

Sino-Korean word from 中 (“centre; middle”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕuŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [중]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	jung
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	jung
McCune–Reischauer?	chung
Yale Romanization?	cwung

Noun

중 • (jung) (hanja 中)

1. average; intermediate (grade or class)

   Coordinate terms: 상(上) (sang, “top”), 하(下) (ha, “last; lowest”)

   Hypernym: 등급(等級) (deunggeup)

2. medium; middle

   Coordinate terms: 대(大) (dae, “large”), 소(小) (so, “small”)

3. the second volume of a three-volume set

Dependent noun

중 • (jung) (hanja 中)

1. in the course of; during

   식사 중 ― siksa jung ― gone to lunch

   공사 중 ― gongsa jung ― under construction

   회의 중 ― hoe'ui jung ― in a meeting

2. (often in the form 중에서 (jung-eseo, “from amongst”)) amongst
   • 2018, Experts: Polio Could Again Spread Worldwide

     그러나 약간의 사례가 가장 접근하기 어려운 지역들 중에 남아 있다.

     Geureona yakgan-ui sarye-ga gajang jeopgeunhagi eoryeoun jiyeok-deul jung-e nama itda.

     But, a few cases remain in areas that are among the most difficult to reach.

Proper noun

중 • (Jung) (hanja 中)

1. Short for 중국(中國) (Jungguk, “China”).

Usage notes

• In news headlines, this is usually written solely in the hanja form, even in contemporary Korean text otherwise devoid of any hanja.

Derived terms

• See the hanja entry at 中 for Sino-Korean compounds of 중 (中, jung).

Etymology 2

First attested in the Seokbo sangjeol (釋譜詳節 / 석보상절), 1447, as Middle Korean 쥬ᇰ〯 (Yale: cywǔng). Probably a divergent borrowing from some Chinese term.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕu(ː)ŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [중(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	jung
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	jung
McCune–Reischauer?	chung
Yale Romanization?	cwūng

Noun

중 • (jung)

1. (somewhat derogatory) a Buddhist monk

Usage notes

• 중 (jung) is somewhat derogatory. 승려(僧侶) (seungnyeo) or 스님 (seunim) is to be preferred in almost all contexts.

Etymology 3

Sino-Korean word from 重.

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [t͡ɕu(ː)ŋ]
• Phonetic hangul: [중(ː)]
  • Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	jung
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	jung
McCune–Reischauer?	chung
Yale Romanization?	cwūng

Prefix

중— • (jung-) (hanja 重)

1. heavy

   ‎중(重) (jung) + ‎공업(工業) (gong'eop, “industry”) → ‎중공업(重工業) (junggong'eop, “heavy industry”)

2. severe

   ‎중(重) (jung) + ‎환자(患者) (hwanja, “patient”) → ‎중환자(重患者) (junghwanja, “critical patient”)

Antonyms

• 경(輕) (gyeong-, “light”)

Derived terms

• 중(重)하다 (junghada)
• See the hanja entry at 重 for Sino-Korean compounds of 중 (重, jung).

Etymology 4

Korean reading of various Chinese characters.

Syllable

중 (jung)

Extended content

中: center (eumhun reading: 가운데 중 (gaunde jung)) (MC reading: 中 (MC ʈɨuŋ, ʈɨuŋH)) 重: heaviness (eumhun reading: 무거울 중 (mugeoul jung)) (MC reading: 重 (MC ɖɨoŋ, ɖɨoŋX, ɖɨoŋH)) 衆: group (eumhun reading: 무리 중 (muri jung)) (MC reading: 衆 (MC t͡ɕɨuŋ, t͡ɕɨuŋH)) 仲: second (eumhun reading: 버금 중 (beogeum jung)) (MC reading: 仲 (MC ɖɨuŋH)) 眾: group (eumhun reading: 무리 중 (muri jung)) (MC reading: 眾 (MC t͡ɕɨuŋ, t͡ɕɨuŋH))