JLPT N2Everyday

途と中ちゅうに・途と中ちゅうでon the way; partway through

Something is under way and hasn't reached its end: a trip home, a meeting, a book. 途と中ちゅうで is "on the way" or "partway through". It is an everyday word.

on the way

帰き宅たくする途と中ちゅうで、電でん車しゃが止とまった。

The train stopped while I was on my way home.

partway through

会かい議ぎの途と中ちゅうで火か災さい報ほう知ち器きが鳴なり、話はなし合あいが中ちゅう断だんした。

The fire alarm went off partway through the meeting, and the discussion broke off.

Verb

Verb (dictionary form or ている) + 途と中ちゅうで／途と中ちゅうに

Going and coming mostly take the dictionary form: 帰かえる途と中ちゅうで, 来くる途と中ちゅうで. Other verbs are usually in ている: 読よんでいる途と中ちゅうで.

Noun

Noun + の + 途と中ちゅうで／途と中ちゅうに

会かい議ぎの途と中ちゅうで, 話はなしの途と中ちゅうで.

By itself

途と中ちゅうで + verb

途と中ちゅうでやめる, to give up partway.

で or に?

駅えきへ向むかう途と中ちゅうで、友とも達だちに会あった。

I ran into a friend on the way to the station.

Something happened on the way: で.

駅えきへ向むかう途と中ちゅうに、小ちいさな郵ゆう便びん局きょくがあります。

There is a small post office on the way to the station.

Something is there along the way: に.

For something that happened, に is heard too, but で is the usual one. In writing the particle often drops: 帰かえる途と中ちゅう、.

The verb doesn't go into the past

You hadn't got home yet, so 帰かえる stays as it is, even when the sentence is about yesterday.

昨日きのう、帰かえる途と中ちゅうで財さい布ふを落おとした。

I dropped my wallet on the way home yesterday.

Not said: 昨日きのう、帰かえった途と中ちゅうで財さい布ふを落おとした。

(I dropped my wallet on the way home yesterday.)

Things people say

途と中ちゅうでやめるgive up partway

足あしが痛いたくなって、マラソンを途と中ちゅうでやめた。

My leg started to hurt, and I dropped out of the marathon partway through.

途と中ちゅうからfrom partway in

映えい画がを途と中ちゅうから見みたので、話はなしがよく分わからなかった。

I started watching the film partway through, so I couldn't really follow the story.

途と中ちゅうまでpart of the way

途と中ちゅうまで一いっ緒しょに帰かえりませんか。

Shall we go part of the way home together?

ている途と中ちゅうだstill in the middle of

この本ほんはまだ読よんでいる途と中ちゅうなので、結けつ末まつは言いわないでください。

I'm still partway through this book, so please don't tell me the ending.

Close neighbours

最さい中ちゅうにN3

Right in the thick of something, mostly when something else cuts in. 途と中ちゅう only says the end hasn't come yet.

食しょく事じの最さい中ちゅうに、仕し事ごとの電でん話わがかかってきた。

A work call came right in the middle of the meal.

間あいだにN4

Any time inside a stretch, such as while you are out or in the shower. 途と中ちゅう is for something with a destination or an end to reach.

シャワーを浴あびている間あいだに、電でん話わが鳴なった。

The phone rang while I was taking a shower.

がけにN2

A few fixed words for a trip: 帰かえりがけに, on the way home; 出でがけに, just as you leave.

私わたしは帰かえりがけに駅えき前まえの書しょ店てんに寄よって、新しん刊かんを買かった。

On my way home I stopped at the bookshop by the station and bought a new release.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

昨日きのう、学がっ校こうへ（　　）途と中ちゅうで、先せん生せいに会あった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

会かい社しゃへ行いく途と中ちゅう（　　）、大おおきな公こう園えんがあります。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

News and reports join it straight to a noun for a trip, with no の: 帰き宅たく途と中ちゅう, 通つう勤きん途と中ちゅう.

彼かれは通つう勤きん途と中ちゅうに事じ故こにあった。

He had an accident on his way to work.

More sentences

駅えきへ向むかう途と中ちゅう、急きゅうに雨あめが降ふり出だした。

On the way to the station, it suddenly started to rain.

シーズンの途と中ちゅうで、チームの主しゅ将しょうが交こう代たいした。

The team changed captains partway through the season.

今いま、申しん請せい書しょの内ない容ようを確かく認にんしている途と中ちゅうです。

I'm in the middle of checking the application form now.

山さん頂ちょうへ向むかう途と中ちゅうに、休きゅう憩けいできる小こ屋やがある。

There is a hut where you can rest on the way to the summit.