中心

• Pinyin: zhōng xīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 中 = a line through the center; 心 = pictograph of a heart

Meaning

Center; core; heart. The central or most important part of something.

Used both literally (city center, shopping center) and figuratively (the core of an issue). Common in compound nouns like 市中心 (city center), 购物中心 (shopping center), and 活动中心 (activity center).

Examples

1. 我们去市中心逛逛吧。 Let's go stroll around the city center.
2. 学校旁边有一个购物中心。 There is a shopping center next to the school.
3. 这是这个问题的中心。 This is the core of the issue.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, urban

Tone: informational

Do Say

• 市中心有很多好吃的饭馆。(There are many good restaurants in the city center.)
• 这个购物中心很大。(This shopping center is very big.)

Don't Say

• 我的中心是学习。(Don't use 中心 for personal focus — say 我的重点是学习 or 我最关心的是学习.)

Origin & History

Compound of 中 (middle/center) and 心 (heart), literally 'middle heart.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal