适中 (shì zhōng) — just right; appropriate; moderate (in degree, not excessive); well situated (of location)

Definition

适中 (shìzhōng) means 'just right' — neither too much nor too little, used for things like size, temperature, price, or distance. More formal and evaluative than the simple 合适; emphasizes hitting a middle point on a scale.

verb
just rightappropriatemoderate (in degree, not excessive)well situated (of location)

Examples

  • 适中。
    Zhè ge jià gé hěn shì zhōng.
    This price is very reasonable.
  • 适中，。
    Zhè ge wèi zhì shì zhōng, lí chē zhàn bù yuǎn.
    This location is well situated, not far from the station.
  • 适中，。
    Wēn dù shì zhōng, bù lěng yě bú rè.
    The temperature is moderate, neither cold nor hot.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

适shìfit
中zhōngmiddle

适 means to fit and 中 means middle, so it denotes fitting a middle degree.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 適; 适 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
啻
啻chì適shì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 適 pairs 辶 (walking) with a sound part; its inner part was originally 啻 and was stylized into 啇. The simplified 适 is a later variant.

Open 适 →

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 →

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