中央 (zhōng yāng) — central in Mandarin
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#577 most common word · HSK 6 · CEFR C1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
中央 is pronounced zhōng yāng. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
zhège jiànzhúwù wèiyú chéngshì de zhōngyāng.
This building is located in the center of the city.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 中央 mean?+
中央 (zhōng yāng) means "central" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 中央?+
中央 is pronounced zhōng yāng. It uses the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 中央 in Mandarin?+
中央 is the #577 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 中央 fits
Every HSK 6 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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