Difference between revisions of "Comparing "zhijian" and “zhongjian""

 
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When describing spatial relationships, the words 之间 (zhījiān) and 中间 (zhōngjiān) will come in handy to express the concepts of "between" and "among."  Both are technically nouns (of location) in Chinese, but one key difference is that 中间 can also mean "in the middle."
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When describing spatial relationships, the words 之间 (zhījiān) and 中间 (zhōngjiān) will come in handy to express the concepts of "[[between]]" and "[[among]]."  Both have a few particular uses, though.
  
== Both can mean "in the middle" ==
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== Both as "Between... and..." ==
  
=== 涉及到两点之间位置的时候用法相同 ===
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之间 and 中间 can both refer to a space "in the middle" between two points, as long as we're talking about physical space.
  
之间 and 中间 can both refer to a space "in the middle," only in physical space.
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=== Structure ===
 
 
==== Structure ====
 
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Noun1 + 和 + Noun2 + 之间/中间
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A + 和 + B + 之间/中间
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==== Examples ====
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 上海在江苏省和浙江省之间。
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*上海 在 江苏 省 和 浙江 省 <em>之间</em> / <em>中间</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi zài Jiāngsū Shěng hé Zhèjiāng Shěng <em>zhījiān</em> / <em>zhōngjiān</em>.</span><span class="trans">Shanghai is between Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province.</span>
* 在沙发和桌子之间有一只猫。
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*我 家 客厅 和 卧室 <em>中间</em> 是 洗手间 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā kètīng hé wòshì <em>zhōngjiān</em> shì xǐshǒujiān.</span><span class="trans">Our bathroom is between the bedroom and the living room.</span>
 +
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
=== 涉及到时间和数量范围的时候,要用“之间” ===
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Grammatically, both 之间 and 中间 are nouns ([[location noun]]s, to be precise). One difference between the two, however, is that 中间 can be used all by itself, but 之间 is always used together with other words.
  
==== Structure ====
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<div class="liju">
  
<div class="jiegou">
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<ul>
Time1 + 和 + Time2 + 之间
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<li class="x">明天 早上 我 有 两 个 考试 ,<em>之间</em> 有 20 分钟 的 休息 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Míngtiān zǎoshang wǒ yǒu liǎng gè kǎoshì, <em>zhījiān</em> yǒu èrshí fēnzhōng de xiūxi shíjiān.</span></li>
</div>
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<li class="o">明天 早上 我 有 两 个 考试 ,<em>中间</em> 有 20 分钟 的 休息 时间 。<span class="pinyin">Míngtiān zǎoshang wǒ yǒu liǎng gè kǎoshì, <em>zhōngjiān</em> yǒu èrshí fēnzhōng de xiūxi shíjiān.</span><span class="trans">I have two exams tomorrow morning. There is a 20 minute break in between.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
<div class="jiegou">
 
Number1 + 和 + Number2 + 之间
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
==== Examples ====
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== Usages of 中间 ==
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
 
* 你需要在八点到十点之间来。
 
* 3月到7月之间是旅游的好时间。
 
* 上海的外国人数量在17万到20万之间。
 
  
</div>
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=== 中间 as "In the Middle of" ===
  
=== 涉及到一个物体内部位置的时候,要用“中间” ===
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中间 can be used for describing location within an object. This "within" could be "inside" a space, like inside a house, in the middle (center) of a table, or in the middle of the screen. You can't use 之间 in this way.
  
 
==== Structure ====
 
==== Structure ====
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Noun + (的 +) 中间
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Place (+ 的) + 中间  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 房子的中间有一个大桌子。
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*<strong>客厅 的</strong> <em>中间</em> 有 一 个 沙发 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Kètīng de</strong> <em>zhōngjiān</em> yǒu yī gè shāfā.</span><span class="trans">There is a sofa in the middle of the living room.</span>
* 这只猫的眼睛中间有个苍蝇。
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*我 的 座位 在 <strong>第 七 排</strong> <em>中间</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ de zuòwèi zài <strong>dì-qī pái</strong> <em>zhōngjiān</em>.</span><span class="trans">My seat is in the middle of Row 7.</span>
* 我在这一排座位的中间。
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*把 花 放 在 <strong>桌子</strong> <em>中间</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Bǎ huā fàng zài <strong>zhuōzi </strong> <em>zhōngjiān</em>.</span><span class="trans">Put the flowers in the middle of the table.</span>
* 把花放在桌子中间。
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</div>
 
</div>
  
== Other uses of 之间 ==
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Try not to say:
  
=== 之间 can be used to indicate relationships ===
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<div class="liju">
  
“之间”还可以用于表示一种关系。
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<ul>
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<li class="x"><strong>大厅</strong> <em>之间</em> 有 很多 人 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Dàtīng</strong> <em>zhījiān</em> yǒu hěn duō rén.</span><span class="trans">There are many people in the middle of the lobby.</span></li>
 +
</ul>
  
==== Structure ====
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</div>
  
<div class="jiegou">
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=== 中间 as "Among" ===
Noun1 + 和 + Noun2 + 之间
 
</div>
 
  
In the structure above, Noun1 and Noun2 are usually people.
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中间 is used when referring to one (or more) "among many."
  
==== Examples ====
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A few examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 父母和孩子之间应该多交流。
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*<strong>你们</strong> <em>中间</em> 有 会 唱歌 的 吗 ?<span class="pinyin"><strong>Nǐmen</strong><em>zhōngjiān</em> yǒu huì chànggē de ma?</span><span class="trans">Can anyone among you sing?</span>
* 我们公司,同事之间的关系很复杂。
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*<strong>这些 人</strong> <em>中间</em> 我 只 认识 一 个 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Zhèxiē rén</strong> <em>zhōngjiān</em> wǒ zhī rènshi yī gè.</span><span class="trans">Among these people, I only know one person.</span>
* 中美之间还有很多问题需要解决。
 
* 我们之间什么话都说。
 
* 国家之间的政治关系受经济的影响很大。
 
* 要学会处理上下级之间的关系。
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Other uses of 中间 ==
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之间 can't be used to mean "among" like this.
 +
 
 +
== Usages of 之间 ==
  
=== 中间 can also mean "among" ===
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=== 之间 as "Ranging from... to..." ===
  
也可以表示在众多事物中的某一个。
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This usage refers to examples like "between 8am and 3pm" or "between 20 and 30".
  
 
==== Structure ====
 
==== Structure ====
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Noun + (的 +) 中间
+
A + + B + 之间
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 你们中间有会唱歌的吗?
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* 这些人中间只有一个我认识。
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*你 可以 明天 早上 八 点 <strong>到</strong> 十 点 <em>之间</em> 过来 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ míngtiān zǎoshang bā diǎn <strong>dào</strong> shí diǎn <em>zhījiān</em> guòlái.</span><span class="trans">You can come between 8am and 10am tomorrow.</span>
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*45 岁 <strong>到</strong> 60 岁 <em>之间</em> 的 人 很 容易 得 这种病 。<span class="pinyin">Sìshí-wǔ suì <strong>dào</strong> liùshí suì <em>zhījiān</em> de rén hěn róngyì dé zhè zhǒng bìng.</span><span class="trans">People aged 45 to 60 years old are susceptible to this disease.</span>
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</div>
 
</div>
  
=== “中间”可形成其他固定搭配 ===
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=== 之间 for Describing Relationships ===
 
 
==== Structure ====
 
  
<div class="jiegou">
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The idea is that the relationship is "between" two or more people, with the abstract "between" part indicated by 之间. This usage of 之间 can also refer to relationships between two (or more) companies, countries, etc., but mostly it's used between people. 中间 can't be used in this way.
中间 + Noun
 
</div>
 
  
==== Examples ====
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A few examples:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 中间人
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*<strong>夫妻</strong> <em>之间</em> 应该 多 交流 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Fūqī</strong> <em>zhījiān</em> yīnggāi duō jiāoliú.</span><span class="trans">There should be plenty of communication between husband and wife.</span>
* 中间商
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*<strong>你们</strong> <em>之间</em> 到底 发生了 什么 事情 ?<span class="pinyin"><strong>Nǐmen</strong> <em>zhījiān</em> dàodǐ fāshēng le shénme shìqing?</span><span class="trans">What exactly happened between the two of you?</span>
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*她 不 太 会 处理 <strong>上下 级</strong> <em>之间</em> 的 关系 。<span class="pinyin">Tā bù tài huì chǔlǐ <strong>shàng-xià jí</strong> <em>zhījiān</em> de guānxi.</span><span class="trans">She doesn't really understand how to handle the relationships between superiors and subordinates.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
=== Sources and further reading ===
 
 
==== Books ====
 
 
==== Dictionaries ====
 
 
  
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
 
[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|之间|B1|之间 vs 中间| 句子|grammar point|NEEDCODE}}
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{{HSK|HSK0}}
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{{Basic Grammar|之间|B1|之间 vs. 中间| 八 点 到 十 点 <em>之间</em> 我 都 有空 。客厅 的 <em>中间</em> 有 一 个 沙发 。|grammar point|ASGN6O6J}}
 
{{Rel char|中间}}
 
{{Rel char|中间}}
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{{Rel char|中}}
 +
{{Rel char|之}}
 +
{{Translation|between}}
 +
{{Translation|among}}
 
{{Comparison|Nouns}}
 
{{Comparison|Nouns}}

Latest revision as of 03:10, 13 August 2019

Chinese-grammar-wiki-zhi1.jpg

When describing spatial relationships, the words 之间 (zhījiān) and 中间 (zhōngjiān) will come in handy to express the concepts of "between" and "among." Both have a few particular uses, though.

Both as "Between... and..."

之间 and 中间 can both refer to a space "in the middle" between two points, as long as we're talking about physical space.

Structure

A + 和 + B + 之间/中间

Examples

  • 上海 在 江苏 省 和 浙江 省 之间 / 中间Shànghǎi zài Jiāngsū Shěng hé Zhèjiāng Shěng zhījiān / zhōngjiān.Shanghai is between Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province.
  • 我 家 客厅 和 卧室 中间 是 洗手间 。Wǒ jiā kètīng hé wòshì zhōngjiān shì xǐshǒujiān.Our bathroom is between the bedroom and the living room.

Grammatically, both 之间 and 中间 are nouns (location nouns, to be precise). One difference between the two, however, is that 中间 can be used all by itself, but 之间 is always used together with other words.

  • 明天 早上 我 有 两 个 考试 ,之间 有 20 分钟 的 休息 时间 。Míngtiān zǎoshang wǒ yǒu liǎng gè kǎoshì, zhījiān yǒu èrshí fēnzhōng de xiūxi shíjiān.
  • 明天 早上 我 有 两 个 考试 ,中间 有 20 分钟 的 休息 时间 。Míngtiān zǎoshang wǒ yǒu liǎng gè kǎoshì, zhōngjiān yǒu èrshí fēnzhōng de xiūxi shíjiān.I have two exams tomorrow morning. There is a 20 minute break in between.

Usages of 中间

中间 as "In the Middle of"

中间 can be used for describing location within an object. This "within" could be "inside" a space, like inside a house, in the middle (center) of a table, or in the middle of the screen. You can't use 之间 in this way.

Structure

Place (+ 的) + 中间

Examples

  • 客厅 的 中间 有 一 个 沙发 。Kètīng de zhōngjiān yǒu yī gè shāfā.There is a sofa in the middle of the living room.
  • 我 的 座位 在 第 七 排 中间Wǒ de zuòwèi zài dì-qī pái zhōngjiān.My seat is in the middle of Row 7.
  • 把 花 放 在 桌子 中间Bǎ huā fàng zài zhuōzi zhōngjiān.Put the flowers in the middle of the table.

Try not to say:

  • 大厅 之间 有 很多 人 。Dàtīng zhījiān yǒu hěn duō rén.There are many people in the middle of the lobby.

中间 as "Among"

中间 is used when referring to one (or more) "among many."

A few examples:

  • 你们 中间 有 会 唱歌 的 吗 ?Nǐmenzhōngjiān yǒu huì chànggē de ma?Can anyone among you sing?
  • 这些 人 中间 我 只 认识 一 个 。Zhèxiē rén zhōngjiān wǒ zhī rènshi yī gè.Among these people, I only know one person.

之间 can't be used to mean "among" like this.

Usages of 之间

之间 as "Ranging from... to..."

This usage refers to examples like "between 8am and 3pm" or "between 20 and 30".

Structure

A + 到 + B + 之间

Examples

  • 你 可以 明天 早上 八 点 十 点 之间 过来 。Nǐ kěyǐ míngtiān zǎoshang bā diǎn dào shí diǎn zhījiān guòlái.You can come between 8am and 10am tomorrow.
  • 45 岁 60 岁 之间 的 人 很 容易 得 这种病 。Sìshí-wǔ suì dào liùshí suì zhījiān de rén hěn róngyì dé zhè zhǒng bìng.People aged 45 to 60 years old are susceptible to this disease.

之间 for Describing Relationships

The idea is that the relationship is "between" two or more people, with the abstract "between" part indicated by 之间. This usage of 之间 can also refer to relationships between two (or more) companies, countries, etc., but mostly it's used between people. 中间 can't be used in this way.

A few examples:

  • 夫妻 之间 应该 多 交流 。Fūqī zhījiān yīnggāi duō jiāoliú.There should be plenty of communication between husband and wife.
  • 你们 之间 到底 发生了 什么 事情 ?Nǐmen zhījiān dàodǐ fāshēng le shénme shìqing?What exactly happened between the two of you?
  • 她 不 太 会 处理 上下 级 之间 的 关系 。Tā bù tài huì chǔlǐ shàng-xià jí zhījiān de guānxi.She doesn't really understand how to handle the relationships between superiors and subordinates.