重中之重

• Pinyin: zhòng zhōng zhī zhòng
• Hanzi breakdown: 重 = 千 + 里 (important); 中 = | + 口 (among); 之 = S-shaped stroke (of)

Meaning

Top priority; the most important of all; paramount concern. Emphasizes something as the highest priority among priorities.

A emphatic expression used in formal and official contexts to stress absolute priority. Common in government documents, corporate communications, and serious discussions to indicate what demands the most attention and resources.

Examples

1. 安全生产是企业的重中之重。 Workplace safety is the company’s top priority.
2. 教育被列为国家发展的重中之重。 Education has been listed as a top priority for national development.
3. 质量控制是这个项目的重中之重。 Quality control is the top priority for this project.

Usage Guide

Context: official, business, policy

Tone: emphatic

Do Say

• 粮食安全是国家安全的重中之重。(Food security is the top priority of national security.)
• 人才培养被视为公司战略的重中之重。(Talent cultivation is regarded as the top priority of company strategy.)

Don't Say

• 吃早餐是重中之重 — too emphatic for trivial matters; use 很重要

Origin & History

重 (important) + 中 (among) + 之 (of) + 重 (important) — literally 'the important among the important'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal