〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over"
chuu / juu
By Nihongo PathUpdated
This form is also taught at JLPT N3, where it carries a different sense or register.
Meaning
ちゅう = "in the middle of / during" (an activity or period); じゅう = "throughout the whole" (period or place).
The kanji 中 after a noun has two readings with two meanings. Read ちゅう it means "in the middle of / during": 電話中 (on the phone), 会議中 (in a meeting), 午前中 (during the morning). Read じゅう it means "throughout the whole" of a period or place: 一日中 (all day), 一年中 (all year), 世界中 (all over the world). A rough rule: ちゅう = an activity or a limited period in progress; じゅう = a whole span or whole area.
Signs and status (準備中 = preparing, 使用中 = in use, 工事中 = under construction), telling someone what you are doing (今、仕事中です), and describing extent (日本中で人気がある). With に, 今日中に / 今週中に mean "by the end of today / this week". Used in all registers.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
N + 中 (ちゅう) = during / in the middle of: 会議中, 食事中, 授業中, 午前中, 今月中N + 中 (じゅう) = throughout / all over: 一日中, 一晩中, 一年中, 世界中, 町中, 家中〜中に (じゅうに / ちゅうに) = by the end of / within: 今日中に, 今週中に〜中です / 〜中だ as a predicate: 田中は電話中です
Visual diagram
| Aspect | Reading | Meaning | Attaches to | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 中 (ちゅう) | ちゅう | in the middle of / during | activities, limited periods | 電話中, 会議中, 仕事中, 午前中, 今月中 |
| 中 (じゅう) | じゅう | throughout the whole / all over | whole time spans, places | 一日中, 一年中, 一晩中, 世界中, 日本中, 家中 |
| 中に (deadline) | じゅうに / ちゅうに | by the end of / within | today, this week, this year | 今日中に (きょうじゅうに), 今週中に (こんしゅうちゅうに) |
Natural examples
田中さんは今、電話中です。
たなかさんは いま、でんわちゅうです。
Tanaka is on the phone right now.
Activity in progress: 電話中 (でんわちゅう).
昨日は一日中、家にいました。
きのうは いちにちじゅう、いえに いました。
I was at home all day yesterday.
Whole period: 一日中 (いちにちじゅう) = all day.
この歌は世界中で歌われている。
この うたは せかいじゅうで うたわれている。
This song is sung all over the world.
Whole area: 世界中 (せかいじゅう) = all over the world.
このレポートは今日中に出してください。
この レポートは きょうじゅうに だしてください。
Please submit this report by the end of today.
今日中に (きょうじゅうに) = within today / by the end of today.
授業中は携帯電話を使わないでください。
じゅぎょうちゅうは けいたいでんわを つかわないでください。
Please don't use your phone during class.
授業中 (じゅぎょうちゅう) = during class, an activity in progress.
Similar grammar and the difference
間 attaches to clauses and nouns with の (授業の間) and is a separate word; 中 attaches directly to a noun as a suffix. Compare side by side
今日中に (by the end of today) and 今日までに (by today) overlap; までに attaches to any deadline, 中に only to periods. Compare side by side
V-ているところ = in the middle of doing (with a verb). N + 中 does the same job with a noun (食事中 = 食べているところ). Compare side by side
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 一日ちゅう、家にいました。
- ✓
- 一日じゅう (一日中)、家にいました。
- Why
- A whole span of time is じゅう.
- ✗
- 田中さんは今、会議じゅうです。
- ✓
- 田中さんは今、会議ちゅう (会議中) です。
- Why
- An activity in progress is ちゅう.
- ✗
- 今週中に (こんしゅうじゅうに) is wrong
- ✓
- 今週中に is read こんしゅうちゅうに or こんしゅうじゅうに
- Why
- Both readings are heard for 今週中に / 今月中に; only 今日中に is fixed as きょうじゅうに. Do not treat one of them as an error.
Common ちゅう status words seen on signs: 営業中 (open), 準備中 (preparing), 使用中 (in use), 工事中 (under construction), 休憩中 (on a break). Common じゅう words: 一日中, 一晩中, 一年中, 世界中, 日本中, 町中, 家中, 体中 (all over the body). 午前中 is ちゅう even though it is a period, because it is a limited stretch; 一日中 is じゅう because it means the whole day.
JLPT N4 tips
On the exam
- Reading questions test ちゅう vs じゅう directly: 午前中 (ごぜんちゅう), 一年中 (いちねんじゅう), 世界中 (せかいじゅう). Learn the common words as vocabulary.
- In 文法形式, 中 competes with 間 and ところ. If the blank follows a bare noun like 食事 or 授業, choose 中.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over" mean?
ちゅう = "in the middle of / during" (an activity or period); じゅう = "throughout the whole" (period or place). The kanji 中 after a noun has two readings with two meanings. Read ちゅう it means "in the middle of / during": 電話中 (on the phone), 会議中 (in a meeting), 午前中 (during the morning). Read じゅう it means "throughout the whole" of a period or place: 一日中 (all day), 一年中 (all year), 世界中 (all over the world). A rough rule: ちゅう = an activity or a limited period in progress; じゅう = a whole span or whole area.
How do you form 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over"?
N + 中 (ちゅう) = during / in the middle of: 会議中, 食事中, 授業中, 午前中, 今月中 / N + 中 (じゅう) = throughout / all over: 一日中, 一晩中, 一年中, 世界中, 町中, 家中 / 〜中に (じゅうに / ちゅうに) = by the end of / within: 今日中に, 今週中に / 〜中です / 〜中だ as a predicate: 田中は電話中です. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over" used?
Signs and status (準備中 = preparing, 使用中 = in use, 工事中 = under construction), telling someone what you are doing (今、仕事中です), and describing extent (日本中で人気がある). With に, 今日中に / 今週中に mean "by the end of today / this week". Used in all registers.
What is the difference between 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over" and 〜間・〜間に?
間 attaches to clauses and nouns with の (授業の間) and is a separate word; 中 attaches directly to a noun as a suffix.
What is the difference between 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over" and 〜までに?
今日中に (by the end of today) and 今日までに (by today) overlap; までに attaches to any deadline, 中に only to periods.
What is a common mistake with 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over"?
Wrong: 一日ちゅう、家にいました。 Right: 一日じゅう (一日中)、家にいました。 A whole span of time is じゅう.
Quick check
すみません、部長は今、会議（ ）ですので、後でお電話します。