• 中央ちゅうおう — center / central
• 震央しんおう — epicenter (of an earthquake)
• 中央銀行ちゅうおうぎんこう — Central Bank
• 中央線ちゅうおうせん — Chuo train line (Tokyo)

The character 央 originally depicted a person with arms and legs extended, enclosed in a box — indicating the “middle” or “center” of an area. It often appears in compound words involving central positions or core concepts, such as 中央 (central), or 震央 (epicenter).

東京とうきょうの中央線ちゅうおうせんは 便利べんりです。
The Chuo Line in Tokyo is convenient.

震央しんおうは 海うみの中なかでした。
The epicenter was in the sea.

🎧 Listen to オウ・おう