middle; midst; in the middle of
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.
He stood in the middle of the crowd.
In the midst of war, people were desperately trying to survive.
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.
right in the middle of; right at the height of
Standard kanji spelling for 'middle of' or 'in the midst of'.
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
Rarely used kanji form; 只中 is preferred.
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.