JLPT N4 grammar comparison

〜間 / 〜間に "while / during" vs 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over"

By Nihongo PathUpdated 17 September 2026

The difference

From the 〜間 / 〜間に "while / during" lesson

〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over": N + 中に (会議中に) also means "during", attached directly to certain nouns. 間 works with clauses.

From the 〜中 (ちゅう / じゅう) "during / throughout / all over" lesson

〜間 / 〜間に "while / during": 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.

aida / aida ni · JLPT N4

Meaning: 間 (あいだ) = throughout a period (continuous action); 間に = at some point within a period (momentary action).
Formation: V-ている / V-dictionary + 間(に): 寝ている間に, 待つ間Noun + の間(に): 夏休みの間, 留守の間にい-adjective + 間(に): 若い間に間: main verb is continuous (ずっと〜ていた)間に: main verb is a single event (〜が来た, 〜した)

夏休みの間、ずっと田舎にいました。
なつやすみのあいだ、ずっといなかにいました。
I was in the countryside the whole summer holiday.
私が出かけている間に、誰か来たようだ。
わたしがでかけているあいだに、だれかきたようだ。
It seems someone came while I was out.

chuu / juu · JLPT N4

Meaning: ちゅう = "in the middle of / during" (an activity or period); じゅう = "throughout the whole" (period or place).
Formation: 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

N + 中に (会議中に) also means "during", attached directly to certain nouns. 間 works with clauses.

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.