央
center, middle
Readings
On'yomi
- オウ
Kun'yomi
—
Nanori
- あきら
- え
- お
- さと
- ちか
- てる
- なか
- ひさ
- ひろ
- や
Meaning
央 centers on the idea of being in the middle or at the heart of something. Its meanings of center and middle are direct expressions of this core spatial concept.
Most common words using 央
20 of 99- 中央ちゅうおうN3
centre; center; middle; heart
- 央おう
middle; centre; center
- 中央アジアちゅうおうアジアN3
Central Asia
- 中央大学ちゅうおうだいがく
Chuo University
- 中央アフリカちゅうおうアフリカN3
Central African Republic
- 中央公論ちゅうおうこうろん
Chūōkōron (monthly literary magazine)
- 震央しんおう
epicentre (of an earthquake); epicenter
- 朝鮮中央通信ちょうせんちゅうおうつうしん
Korean Central News Agency
- 中央集権ちゅうおうしゅうけん
centralized authoritarian rule; centralised authoritarian rule
- アメリカ中央情報局アメリカちゅうおうじょうほうきょく
Central Intelligence Agency (US); CIA
- リニア中央新幹線リニアちゅうおうしんかんせん
Linear Chūō Shinkansen
- 中国中央電視台ちゅうごくちゅうおうでんしだい
China Central Television; CCTV
- 中央アジア諸国ちゅうおうアジアしょこく
Central Asian countries
- 中央アフリカ共和国ちゅうおうアフリカきょうわこく
Central African Republic
- 中央アメリカちゅうおうアメリカ
Central America
- 中央ヨーロッパちゅうおうヨーロッパ
Central Europe
- 中央信託銀行ちゅうおうしんたくぎんこう
Chuo Trust And Banking Company, Limited
- 中央値ちゅうおうち
median
- 中央党ちゅうおうとう
Centre Party; Center Party
- 中央共同募金会ちゅうおうきょうどうぼきんかい
Central Community Chest of Japan
Study
Etymology
央 is thought to depict a person standing in the center of a space, with the top representing the head and the lower strokes indicating the body and boundaries. The exact historical development is somewhat uncertain, but the association with centrality is well established.
Meaning mnemonic
The shape of 央 looks like a person standing squarely in the middle of a frame: the top is the head, the wide horizontal stroke is the shoulders, and the lower strokes mark the center position. This person is right in the center of everything.
Reading mnemonic
For オウ, imagine a person standing in the center of a room and letting out a loud 'Oh!' when they realize they are the center of attention: Oh -> オウ.