21
央
Center, Middle
JLPT N2
Interesting Fact
Tokyo's famous district 中央区 (Chūō-ku) literally means 'Central Ward.' The kanji 央 often appears in place names and organizations to indicate the center of an area.
Memory Trick
Imagine a person standing exactly in the middle of a large square. Everyone gathers around that person because they are at the center. That image helps you remember 央 means 'center.'
Readings
Onyomi: オウ (ou)
Kunyomi:
Example Words
中央
ちゅうおう (chuuou)
Center
中央線
ちゅうおうせん (chuuousen)
Chūō Line
中央口
ちゅうおうぐち (chuuouguchi)
Central entrance
中央公園
ちゅうおうこうえん (chuuoukouen)
Central park
Example Sentence
駅 の 中央 に 時計 が あります。
えき の ちゅうおう に とけい が あります。
eki no chuuou ni tokei ga arimasu
There is a clock in the center of the station.