How to Write 中 (zhōng/zhòng) — Meaning “middle; center; China”

Imagine a square target with an arrow sticking straight into the bullseye. The square is the outer frame, and the arrow is the vertical line through the middle. This visual helps you remember that 中 means 'center.'

Write the left vertical stroke first, then the top horizontal and right vertical as one stroke (like a reverse 'L'), then the bottom horizontal, and finally the middle vertical line. Make sure the middle vertical line goes straight through the center without touching the top or bottom edges.

中 has a complete square frame with a vertical line inside, while 丩 looks like two curved lines crossing (like a twisted rope) and 个 is simply one vertical line with a small horizontal stroke at the top. 中 also has four strokes, whereas 个 has three and 丩 has four but no rectangular box.

中 is very common: it means 'middle' in words like 中间 (zhōng jiān), and it represents China in 中国 (zhōng guó), which literally means 'Middle Kingdom.' This name reflects ancient China's view of itself as the cultural center of the world.

Common words containing 中 include: 中间 (zhōng jiān) — Middle; between; 中国 (zhōng guó) — China; 中奖 (zhòng jiǎng) — to win a prize.