TongTong
Sign in

中游 (zhōng yóu) — middle reaches (of a river); middling state, average level

Definition

Literally 'middle reaches', 中游 refers to the middle stretch of a river, and by extension any middling or average level — performance, ranking, or position that is neither leading nor lagging.

noun
middle reaches (of a river)middling stateaverage level

Examples

  • 中游。
    Zhè tiáo hé de zhōng yóu shuǐ zhì hěn hǎo.
    The water quality in the middle reaches of this river is very good.
  • 中游。
    Tā de chéng jì zài bān lǐ chǔ yú zhōng yóu shuǐ píng.
    His grades are at an average level in the class.
  • 中游。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī mù qián chǔ yú zhōng yóu wèi zhì.
    This company is currently in a middling position.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

中zhōngmiddle
游yóuriver reach

中 “middle” with 游 “river reach” gives the middle reaches of a river.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The original picture showed a flagpole with a drum in the middle, set up in the center of a field.

Open 中 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
斿
斿yóu游yóu
Same sound today

游 combines 水 (water) with 斿, which gives the sound yóu and also relates to travelling.

Open 游 →
Appears in
Geography & Landforms

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.