中国

[Zhōngguó]

China

中 "middle" or "central"

国 "country" or "nation"

中间

[zhōngjiān]

center; between

中 "middle" or "central"

间 "between," "space," "interval," or "room"

中 (middle) + 间 (space/interval) = "middle space" → "middle," "between," or "among"

it suggests a gap, separation, or relationship between things

中学

[zhōngxué] 

middle, secondary school

中 "middle" or "central"

学 "school" or "learning"

中午

[zhōngwǔ]

noon; midday

中 "middle" or "central"

午 "noon"

Together, 中午 literally means "middle of the noon" → "noon"

中文

[zhōngwén]

the Chinese language

中 "middle" or "central"

集中

[jízhōng]

concentrate

集 "to gather," "to collect"

中 "middle" or "central"

集中 "gather to the center" → "concentrate/focus"

中庸

zhōng yōng

Doctrine of the Mean;

Confucian ideal of harmony

moderation

中 (zhōng) — "middle" or "central"

庸 originally meaning "ordinary" or "constant," here it implies "unchanging principle" or "practical wisdom"

Traditional Chinese Medicine

中 "middle" or "central"

医 "medicine" or "healing"

分钟

[fēnzhōng]

minute

分 "to divide" or "minute"

钟 "bell" or "clock"

分钟 literally "division of clock"

钟爱

to cherish deeply

to adore

钟 "bell" or "clock"

爱 "love" or "affection"

钟爱 lit. "bell-love", echoing the preciousness of bronze

钟头

[zhōngtóu]

hour

钟 "bell" or "clock"

头 literally means "head", but here it serves as a colloquial measure word suffix (similar to how we say "a couple of hours" in English)

together, 钟头 "clock-head" → "hour" (informal)

点钟

[diǎnzhōng]

o’clock

点 "dot" or "hour"

钟 "bell" or "clock"

各种

[gèzhǒng]

various, all sorts of

各 "each" or "every"

种 "kind," "type," or "species"

各种 it. "each kind"

种子

[zhǒngzi]

seed

种 "kind," "type," or "species"

子 a neutral suffix often added to nouns; here, it concretizes the meaning turning an abstract "kind" into a tangible physical noun "seed" avoiding ambiguity

种植

[zhòngzhí]

to plant / cultivate

种 "to plant," "to grow," "to sow," or "to cultivate"

植 "to plant," "to cultivate"

Double-character verbs often intensify or specify the meaning; 种 alone could mean "seed" (zhǒng instead of zhòng), while 种植 unambiguously means "to cultivate."

种花 / 种菜 / 种树

zhòng huā

to plant flowers, to grow vegetables, to plant trees

种 "to plant," "to grow," "to sow," or "to cultivate"

花 "flower" or "blossom"

菜 (cài) — vegetables or dishes (in some contexts)

树 (shù) — tree

人种

rénzhǒng

race, ethnic group

(lit. human kind)

人 "person," "human," or "people"

种 "kind," "type,", "species", or "seed"

a person of a certain kind

人种 = "human kind/type" → "race" or "ethnic group"

图书馆

[túshūguǎn]

library

图 "chart," "map," or "diagram"

书 "book" or "writing"

馆 "building," "hall," or "institution"

图 + 书 = charts/illustrations + books → "books and printed materials"; this compound already refers broadly to publications; the addition of 馆 specifies it’s a physical place housing books

书包

[shūbāo]

schoolbag; satchel (a bag carried on the shoulder by a long strap and typically closed by a flap)

书 "book" or "writing"

包 "bag," "sack," or "to wrap"

书包 = "book" + "bag" → "schoolbag"

读书

[dúshū]

to read; to study

读 "to read," "to recite," or "to study"

书 "book" or "writing"

读 alone is vague (could mean reading a sign, text message, etc.); 读书 specifies the act of engaging with written knowledge

书法

 shūfǎ

calligraphy (lit. writing-method)

书 "book" or "writing"

法 "method," "rule," or "law"

书法 = "writing + rules" → "the art of regulated writing" (calligraphy)