只ただ中なか

た

だ

な

か

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

Used in the pattern 〜の只中 to mean 'in the very middle of' a place, time, or situation. Often emphasizes being right in the center or thick of something.

彼かれは群ぐん衆しゅうの只ただ中なかに立たっていた。
He stood in the middle of the crowd.
戦せん争そうの只ただ中なかで、人ひと々びとは必ひっ死しに生いきていた。
In the midst of war, people were desperately trying to survive.

See all 3 example sentences ›

Kanji

只only, free, in addition
中in, inside, middle
直straightaway, honesty, frankness

Related words

真まん中なか
真ん中 is a more common and casual word for 'center' or 'middle', while 只中 is more literary and emphasizes being deeply inside a situation or location.
最さい中ちゅう
最中 means 'in the middle of (an activity)' and is used with verbs or nouns denoting actions, e.g., 食事の最中. 只中 is used with nouns for places, times, or abstract situations.

Word family

真まっ只ただ中なか
right in the middle of; right at the height of

Built from

ただ+中なか

Written forms

只ただ中なかUsage41%
Standard kanji spelling for 'middle of' or 'in the midst of'.
ただ中なかUsage35%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
ただなかUsage20%
直ただ中なかUsage4%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; 只中 is preferred.

Etymology

Compound of 只 (tada, 'just, only') and 中 (naka, 'inside, middle'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys the idea of being right in the center.