Kanji N2

央: center, middle

央 is a JLPT N2 kanji meaning center, middle, written with 5 strokes. It is read オウ (on), and has no common kun reading. Children in Japan learn it in grade 3. You will see it in 中央 (ちゅうおう, centre) and 中央集権 (ちゅうおうしゅうけん, centralized authoritarian rule).

央

Meanings

  • center
  • middle
Strokes5
JLPT levelN2
School gradeGrade 3
Frequency#582 of 2,500

On reading · Kun reading

On reading
  • オウ

On'yomi: from Chinese, written in katakana. Used in compound words.

Kun reading
  • None in common use

Kun'yomi: native Japanese, in hiragana. The faint part is the okurigana, written in kana after the kanji.

Watch the stroke order

Every stroke in order, the live one in vermilion. Replay as often as you like.

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Now draw it

Trace each stroke in order. Wrong direction or wrong order gets flagged right away.

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Your turn: draw stroke 1 of 5. Start at the dot.

Common words with 央

The most useful words written with it, easiest first. Every other kanji in them opens its own page.

  • 中央ちゅうおう

    centre; center; middle; heart

    JLPT N3
  • 中央集権ちゅうおうしゅうけん

    centralized authoritarian rule

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Stroke order from KanjiVG © Ulrich Apel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Readings, meanings and words from KANJIDIC2 and JMdict, names from JMnedict, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0, and Wikidata, CC0. JLPT lists after Jonathan Waller (tanos.co.uk), CC BY.