At a glance
Noun + 中 means "in the middle of" or "during" an activity. It shows that something is going on right now or during a certain time. In this pattern 中 is read ちゅう.
[Action noun] + 中 + です
山田さんは今、会議中です。 Mr. Yamada is in a meeting right now.
How to form it
中 attaches directly to a noun, with no particle in between.
| Attaches to | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Action noun | 勉強 → 勉強中 | studying |
| Action noun | 仕事 → 仕事中 | at work, working |
| A few set words | 話し中 | on the phone, line busy |
The whole word then works like a noun:
| Use | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ～中です / ～中だ | 食事中です。 | I'm eating. |
| ～中に | 授業中に | during class |
| ～中の + noun | 工事中の道 | a road under construction |
It is neutral. Use です for polite speech and だ for casual speech.