〜中 (じゅう・ちゅう)
throughout / in the middle of
Time or place + 中 (じゅう) / activity + 中 (ちゅう)
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中 after a word has two readings with two meanings:
- じゅう, "throughout, all over": 一日中, "all day long"; 世界中, "all over the world".
- ちゅう, "in the middle of (an activity)": 授業中, "during class"; 電話中, "on the phone".
A rough rule: after a stretch of time or a place, じゅう; after an activity, ちゅう.
今日中 (きょうじゅう) is worth learning as a word: it means "by the end of today", a common deadline.
In these sentences the blank is written in kana, so type the reading you'd use.
Examples
昨日は一日じゅう寝ていました。
I was in bed all day yesterday.
授業ちゅうに寝てはいけません。
You mustn't sleep during class.
この歌は世界じゅうで有名です。
This song is famous all over the world.
父は今、電話ちゅうです。
My father's on the phone right now.
宿題は今日じゅうに出してください。
Please hand in your homework by the end of today.