最中

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
最	中
さい Grade: 4	ちゅう Grade: 1
on'yomi

From 最(さい) (sai-, “most”) + 中(ちゅう) (chū, “middle”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) さいちゅう [sáꜜìchùù] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [sa̠it͡ɕɨː]

Noun

最(さい)中(ちゅう) • (saichū) 

1. most active state, in progress, at one's best
2. the middle, midst, during

   映画(えいが)の最中(さいちゅう)で寝(ね)てしまった。

   Eiga no saichū de neteshimatta.

   [I, they] fell asleep in the middle of the movie.

3. in one's prime

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
最	中
さい > さ Grade: 4	なか Grade: 1
jūbakoyomi

From 最(さい) (sai-, “most”) + 中(なか) (naka, “inside, middle”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) さなか [sáꜜnàkà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [sa̠na̠ka̠]

Noun

最(さ)中(なか) • (sanaka) 

1. at its prime, midst

Proper noun

最(さ)中(なか) • (Sanaka) 

1. 最中, 沙奈香, 紗那香, 真香: a female given name

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
最	中
も Grade: 4	なか Grade: 1
kun'yomi

From 最(も) (mo-, “most, true”) + 中(なか) (naka, “inside”).

最(も)中(なか) (monaka)

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) もなか [móꜜnàkà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [mo̞na̠ka̠]

Noun

最(も)中(なか) • (monaka) 

1. peak, prime, height
2. center, dead center, middle
3. wafer cake filled with bean jam

References

• “最中”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2025