中心 (zhōng xīn) — center in Mandarin
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#240 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR B2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
中心 is pronounced zhōng xīn. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Zhège jiànzhù shì chéngshì de zhōngxīn.
This building is the center of the city.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 中心 mean?+
中心 (zhōng xīn) means "center" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 中心?+
中心 is pronounced zhōng xīn. It uses the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 中心 in Mandarin?+
中心 is the #240 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 中心 fits
Every HSK 5 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.