# 중

| 중 | U+C911, &#51473; 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: [t͡ɕuŋ]
* Phonetic hangul: [중]

#### Noun

중 • (jung) (hanja 中)
* average; intermediate (grade or class)
    Hypernym: 등급(等級) (deunggeup)
    Coordinate terms: 상(上) (sang, “top”), 하(下) (ha, “last; lowest”)
* medium; middle
    Coordinate terms: 대(大) (dae, “large”), 소(小) (so, “small”)
* the second volume of a three-volume set

#### Dependent noun

중 • (jung) (hanja 中)
* 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
* (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)
* 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: [t͡ɕu(ː)ŋ]
* Phonetic hangul: [중(ː)]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

#### Noun

중 • (jung)
* (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: [t͡ɕu(ː)ŋ]
* Phonetic hangul: [중(ː)]
** Though still prescribed in Standard Korean, most speakers in both Koreas no longer distinguish vowel length.

#### Prefix

중— • (jung-) (hanja 重)
* heavy
    ‎중(重) (jung) + ‎공업(工業) (gong'eop, “industry”) → ‎중공업(重工業) (junggong'eop, “heavy industry”)
* 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)
* 中: center
    (eumhun reading: 가운데 중 (gaunde jung)) (MC reading: 中 (MC trjuwng|trjuwngH))
* 重: heaviness
    (eumhun reading: 무거울 중 (mugeoul jung)) (MC reading: 重 (MC drjowng|drjowngX|drjowngH))
* 衆: group
    (eumhun reading: 무리 중 (muri jung)) (MC reading: 衆 (MC tsyuwng|tsyuwngH))
* 仲: second
    (eumhun reading: 버금 중 (beogeum jung)) (MC reading: 仲 (MC drjuwngH))
* 眾: group
    (eumhun reading: 무리 중 (muri jung)) (MC reading: 眾 (MC tsyuwng|tsyuwngH))