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noun HSK 3
zhōng xīn
center · heart · core · hub

Meaning

中心 refers to the central point or core of something, whether physical (like the center of a city) or abstract (like the heart of an issue). It combines 中 (middle) and 心 (heart) to convey the idea of the most important or central location.

Usage

Commonly used to describe downtown areas (市中心), central points in geometry or geography, or the core/essence of ideas and activities. Often appears in names of facilities like shopping centers (购物中心) or community centers (社区中心). Can be used both literally and figuratively.

Examples

  1. 01
    我们约在市中心见面吧。
    Wǒmen yuē zài shì zhōng xīn jiàn miàn ba.
    Let's meet in the city center.
  2. 02
    这篇文章的中心思想是什么？
    Zhè piān wénzhāng de zhōng xīn sī xiǎng shì shén me?
    What is the central idea of this article?

Characters

Measure words

  • 个gè一个购物中心

Common collocations

  • 市中心
    shì zhōng xīn
    city center, downtown
  • 购物中心
    gòu wù zhōng xīn
    shopping center, mall
  • 以...为中心
    yǐ ... wéi zhōng xīn
    to take ... as the center, to center on ...
  • 中心思想
    zhōng xīn sī xiǎng
    central idea, main theme

Antonyms

Origin

Combines 中 (middle) with 心 (heart), creating a compound that emphasizes both the spatial center and the vital core of something.

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