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最中 (さいちゅう) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

最さい中ちゅう

also: さなか

さ

い

ちゅ

う

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

noun

in the middle of; in the midst of; at the height of

Indicates being in the middle of an action, event, or state. Often used with nouns or verbs in the ている form. The reading さなか is more formal/literary.

会かい議ぎの最さい中ちゅうに電でん話わが鳴なった。
The phone rang in the middle of the meeting.
彼かれは食しょく事じの最さい中ちゅう

だっ

た

。

He was in the middle of a meal.

嵐あらしのさなか、船ふねは港みなとを出でた。

The ship left the harbor in the midst of the storm.

Written forms

最中Usage81%
- さいちゅう
  Standard kanji spelling for the reading さいちゅう. High priority.
- さなか
  Alternate reading さなか, used in more formal or literary contexts. The kanji spelling is the same.
さなかUsage16%
さ中Usage2%
- さなか
- さいちゅう
  Rare variant spelling using kana for the first character. Not commonly used.
さいちゅうUsage1%
サイチュウUsage<1%

Kanji

最utmost, most, extreme
中in, inside, middle

Similar words

途と中ちゅう
途中 means 'on the way' or 'in the middle of a journey/process', while 最中 emphasizes being at the peak or core of an ongoing action or state.
真まっ最さい中ちゅう
真っ最中 is an emphatic version meaning 'right in the middle of', often used for intense or peak moments.

Etymology

Compound of 最 (most, extreme) and 中 (middle, inside). The reading さなか is a sound shift from さいちゅう, with さ being an older reading of 最.