なか

Japanese

Etymology 1

Alternative spellings
中 仲

From Old Japanese. First cited to the Kojiki of 712 CE.

From Proto-Japonic *naka. By surface analysis, ⟨na⟩ (indicating being inside, not found in isolation) +‎ ⟨ka⟩ (a place (e.g. ありか (arika, “a place where something is, whereabouts”, from ある (aru, “to exist”) +‎ 処 (ka, “place”), literally “existing place”), compare 所 (tokoro, “place”, see etymology for details))).

The relationship sense was first attested in the Kokin Wakashū, around 905-914 CE, possibly from the sense of being a group of objects/people around a certain area.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) なか [náꜜkà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [na̠ka̠]

Noun

なか • (naka) ^{←なか (naka)?}

1. 中: inside

   箱(はこ)の中(なか)には何(なに)もありません。

   Hako no naka ni wa nani mo arimasen.

   There is nothing in the box.

2. 中: middle
3. 中: among (a group or mass)

   この中(なか)に人(じん)狼(ろう)がいます。

   Kono naka ni jinrō ga imasu.

   There is a werewolf among us / these people.

4. 中: during (time); amidst

   暑(あつ)い中(なか)お疲(つか)れ様(さま)です。

   Atsui naka o-tsukare-sama desu.

   Thank you for your cooperation in these hot times.

   猛(もう)暑(しょ)の中(なか)

   mōsho no naka

   in the extreme heat

   技術(ぎじゅつ)が進(すす)んでいく中(なか)

   gijutsu ga susundeiku naka

   in the midst of technological advancement

5. 仲: relationship, terms

Derived terms

Derived terms

• お腹(なか) (onaka)
• 中(なか)今(いま) (nakaima, “the present, as a privileged moment in eternity”)
• 仲(なか)がいい (naka ga ii), 仲(なか)が良(よ)い (naka ga yoi)
• 仲(なか)に入(はい)る (naka ni hairu)
• 仲(なか)働(ばたら)き (nakabataraki)
• 仲(なか)直(なお)り (nakanaori)
• 仲(なか)間(ま) (nakama)
• 仲(なか)睦(むつ)まじい (nakamutsumajii)
• 仲(なか)立(だ)ち (nakadachi)
• 仲(なか)良(よ)く (nakayoku)
• 仲(なか)良(よ)し (nakayoshi)
• 仲(なか)違(たが)い (nakatagai)
• 仲人(なこうど) (nakōdo)
• 熱(あつ)い仲(なか) (atsuinaka)
• 恋(こい)仲(なか) (koinaka)
• 不(ふ)仲(なか) (funaka)
• 夫(ふう)婦(ふ)仲(なか) (fūfunaka)

Proper noun

なか • (Naka) 

1. 仲: a surname

See also

• Appendix:Gikun Usage in Meiji Version of Japanese Bible/中央

Etymology 2

Alternative spelling
無か

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [na̠ka̠]

Adjective

なか • (naka) ^†-ka

1. Ka-ending dialect form of ない (nai)

   佐(さ)賀(が)はなんもなか

   Saga wa nan mo naka

   there's nothing (of worth) in Saga (local folk saying)