Japanese symbol for “medium”
中
ちゅう
Romaji: chuu
medium (size); average (grade, level, etc.); middle
In Japanese, medium is 中, read ちゅう (chuu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n medium (size); average (grade, level, etc.); middle
- suf in; within; out of (e.g. ten people); among
- suf during; while; in (the course of); within (a period); throughout
- suf currently (doing); in the process of; in the middle of; under (e.g. construction, investigation)
- n middle way; moderation
- n second volume (of three)
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “medium”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 媒体 | ばいたい baitai | medium; media |
| 並 | なみ nami | average; medium; common |
| 中位 | ちゅうい chuui | medium; mediocrity; average |
| 巫女 | みこ miko | medium; sorceress; shamaness |
| 巫 | かんなぎ kannagi | medium; diviner; shaman |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 中心 | ちゅうしん chuushin | center; centre; middle |
| 途中 | とちゅう tochuu | on the way; en route |
| 中央 | ちゅうおう chuuou | centre; center; middle |
| 集中 | しゅうちゅう shuuchuu | concentration (on a task); focusing one's attention |
| 中止 | ちゅうし chuushi | interruption; discontinuance; suspension |
| 中身 | なかみ nakami | contents; interior; filling |
See also: Chinese symbol for “medium”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.