JLPT N2Stories, newsPolite thanks

中なかをthrough; in the midst of

You go through something, or carry on through it: rain, snow, a crowd, a busy day. It is the を of 公こう園えんを歩あるく, and usually the going is hard. 中 is read なか.

through

強つよい雨あめが降ふる中なかを、救きゅう助じょ隊たいは孤こ立りつした集しゅう落らくへ向むかった。

The rescue team set out through heavy rain for the cut-off village.

thanks

お忙いそがしい中なかをお越こしいただき、誠まことにありがとうございます。

Thank you very much for coming when you are so busy.

How to form it

Noun + の + 中なかを／ verb or adjective (as before a noun) + 中なかを

雨あめの中なかを, 雨あめが降ふる中なかを, 忙いそがしい中なかを, 大たい変へんな中なかを.

Before it: Weather, darkness, a crowd, a hard time: 雨あめ, 雪ゆき, 寒さむさ, 人ひとごみ, 忙いそがしい.
After it: Mostly a verb of going or coming: 歩あるく, 走はしる, 進すすむ, 向むかう, 来くる, 帰かえる. Now and then one of sticking it out: 待まつ, 続つづける.
Where you'll meet it: Stories and news reports. And at any event or meeting, in the thanks to the people who came.

In use

厳きびしい寒さむさの中なかを、調ちょう査さ隊たいは山さん頂ちょうを目め指ざして進すすんだ。

The survey team pushed on toward the summit through the bitter cold.

人ひとごみの中なかを走はしって、駅えきへ急いそいだ。

I ran through the crowds, hurrying to the station.

停てい電でんで真まっ暗くらな中なかを、係かかり員いんは乗じょう客きゃくを非ひ常じょう口ぐちまで誘ゆう導どうした。

In the pitch dark of the power outage, staff led the passengers to the emergency exit.

雨あめの中なかを二に時じ間かんも待まって、やっとチケットが買かえた。

I waited two whole hours in the rain and finally got a ticket.

No movement this time: you stick it out.

お忙いそがしい中なか: the thanks you'll hear

The use you will meet most. You thank someone for coming, or for doing something for you, when it wasn't easy for them. Here the を is usually left out.

お忙いそがしい中なか、ご返へん信しんいただきありがとうございます。

Thank you for replying when you are so busy.

The usual opening of a work email.

本ほん日じつはお足あし元もとの悪わるい中なか、お越こしいただきありがとうございます。

Thank you for coming today in this bad weather.

Said to guests on a rainy or snowy day.

暑あつい中なか、わざわざ来きてくれてありがとう。

Thanks for coming all this way in the heat.

中なかを, 中なかで or just 中なか?

雨あめの中なかを一いち時じ間かん歩あるいた。

I walked for an hour through the rain.

を: you go through it.

雨あめの中なかで子こどもたちが遊あそんでいる。

Children are playing in the rain.

で: where something is done.

雨あめの中なか、試し合あいは続つづけられた。

The match went on in the rain.

No particle: with that going on. News writing is full of it.

Close neighbours

ところをN1

The twin formula, with ところ: what you say when you break in on someone.

お忙いそがしいところをすみません。

I'm sorry to bother you when you're busy.

中ちゅう・中じゅうN4

Straight after a noun, with no の, 中 is read ちゅう or じゅう: "during", "all through".

部ぶ長ちょうは会かい議ぎ中ちゅうです。

The department manager is in a meeting.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

私わたしたちは吹雪ふぶきの中なか（　　）、三さん時じ間かん歩あるき続つづけた。

Choose an answer to see why.

2How is 中 read in お忙いそがしい中、ありがとうございます?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

ハイカーたちは深ふかい森もりの中なかを歩あるき続つづけた。

The hikers kept walking through the deep forest.

A real place: plain "through".

大おおきな拍はく手しゅの中なかを、選せん手しゅたちが入にゅう場じょうした。

The players came in to loud applause.

Not hard going this time.

ご多た用ようの中なかを遠えん方ぽうよりご出しゅっ席せきくださり、厚あつく御お礼れい申もうし上あげます。

We are most grateful to you for coming such a long way to attend at so busy a time.