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[](# "wikilink")
Comparing "zhijian" and “zhongjian"
===================================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASGN6O6J)
-
Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
Used for
Keywords
[之间](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%B9%8B%E9%97%B4),
[中间](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%B8%AD%E9%97%B4)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1 Both
as "Between...
and..."](#Both_as_.22Between..._and....22 "wikilink")
- [1.1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [1.2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [2 Usages of
中间](#Usages_of_.E4.B8.AD.E9.97.B4 "wikilink")
- [2.1 中间
as "In the Middle
of"](#.E4.B8.AD.E9.97.B4_as_.22In_the_Middle_of.22 "wikilink")
- [2.1.1
Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink")
- [2.1.2
Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink")
- [2.2 中间
as
"Among"](#.E4.B8.AD.E9.97.B4_as_.22Among.22 "wikilink")
- [3 Usages of
之间](#Usages_of_.E4.B9.8B.E9.97.B4 "wikilink")
- [3.1 之间
as "Ranging from...
to..."](#.E4.B9.8B.E9.97.B4_as_.22Ranging_from..._to....22 "wikilink")
- [3.1.1
Structure](#Structure_3 "wikilink")
- [3.1.2
Examples](#Examples_3 "wikilink")
- [3.2 之间
for Describing
Relationships](#.E4.B9.8B.E9.97.B4_for_Describing_Relationships "wikilink")
- [4 See
also](#See_also "wikilink")
- [5 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [5.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
A + 和 + B + 之间／中间
### Examples
- 上海 在 江苏省 和 浙江省 *之间* / *中间*
。Shanghai is
between Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province.
- 我 家 客厅 和 卧室 *中间* 是 洗手间 。Our bathroom is between the
bedroom and the living room.
Grammatically, both 之间 and 中间 are nouns ([location
nouns](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Location_noun),
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
。
- 明天 早上 我 有 两 个 考试 ，*中间* 有 20 分钟 的 休息时间
。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 。There is
a sofa in the middle of the living room.
- 我 的 座位 在 **第 七 排** *中间* 。My
seat is in the middle of Row 7.
- 把 花 放 在 **桌子** *中间* 。Put the flowers in
the middle of the table.
Try not to say:
- **大厅** *之间* 有 很多 人 。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
？Can anyone among you sing?
- **这些 人** *中间* 我 只 认识 一 个 。Among these people, I only know one
person.
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 明早 八 点 **到** 十 点 *之间* 过来
。You can come between 8am
and 10am tomorrow.
- 45 岁 **到** 60 岁 *之间* 的 人 很 容易 得 这种病
。It's easy
for people with ages ranging from 45-years-old to 60-years-old to
get this disease.
### 之间 for Describing Relationships
The idea is that the relationship is "between two people," and the
"between" is indicated by 之间. This usage of 之间 can also refer to
relationships between two companies, two countries, etc., while mostly
it's used between two persons. 中间 can't be used in this way.
A Few examples:
- **夫妻** *之间* 应该 多 交流 。There
should be plenty of communication between husband and wife.
- **你们** *之间* 到底 发生了 什么 事情
？What exactly happened between the
two of you?
- 她 不 太 会 处理 **上下 级** *之间* 的 关系
。She doesn't really
understand how to handle the relationships between superiors and
subordinates.
See also
-------------------------------------------------------
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
\
[Categories](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories):
- [Grammar
comparison](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Category:Grammar_comparison&action=edit&redlink=1)
- [B1 grammar
points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)
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