Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 2: 7/24

を中心(ちゅうしん)にFocused on, Centered on or around, Mainly, Most notably

Structure

Noun + を中心(ちゅうしん) + に(1)
Noun + を中心(ちゅうしん) + にした(2) + Noun

(1) にして、として
(2) とした

Details

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About を中心に

When combined with nouns, the expression を中心(ちゅうしん)に indicates that something is being 'focused on' or 'centered around'. Occasionally, it may also be translated simply as 'mainly (A)', or 'most notably (A)'. 中心(ちゅうしん) itself is a noun that expresses the 'pivot', or 'central focus point' from which something else is occurring. The case marking particleに just marks '(A) を中心(ちゅうしん)に' as the target that is being focused on.

Due to 中心(ちゅうしん) itself marking a 'central point', it may also be used just to express the middle of something, rather than something that is being concentrated or focused on.

By adding する in either its dictionary or past forms, を中心(ちゅうしん)にする or を中心(ちゅうしん)にした may appear before another noun. This will highlight the noun that comes after as being the overall thing through which the 'focus on (A)' is taking place.

Additionally, the case-marking particle と may sometimes replace に. This change will put more nuance on the focus point being conclusive, rather than progressive or decisive.

Examples

--:--

    てるはしさんを中心(ちゅうしん)に世界(せかい)が回(まわ)っている。

    The world revolves mainly around Teruhashi-san.

    マコさんはコンピューターを中心(ちゅうしん)として生活(せいかつ)をしている。

    Mako leads a life centered around computers.

    妻(つま)は働(はたら)き、私(わたし)は育児(いくじ)を中心(ちゅうしん)に生活(せいかつ)しています。

    My wife works and I place my focus on raising the children. That is our livelihood.

    あのアンテナを中心(ちゅうしん)に家(いえ)を何(なん)軒(けん)か建(た)てましょう。

    Let's build some houses centered around that antenna.

    息子(むすこ)はあいかわらずお金(かね)を中心(ちゅうしん)に物(もの)を考(かんが)えているようだ。

    As always, my son always thinks in terms that are focused on money.

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を中心に – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (3 in total)

  • testing

    testing

    What does that mean?

  • Zoular

    Zoular

    Matt on Game Gengo just posted a video on this grammar.

  • crisp-y

    crisp-y

    The current translation for

    健康診断けんこうしんだんに行いったら先生せんせいに揚あげ物ものを中心ちゅうしんとする食生活しょくせいかつはやめるようにと言いわれた

    is slightly incorrect and doesn’t help accurately interpret the difference in nuance that とする infers.

    Currently, “to stop centering my diet around fried food,” implies a there’s a deliberate, active effort on the part of the speaker to prioritise fried food. However, を中心とする is used here because the sentence is describing a general characteristic of the diet (it naturally revolves around fried food), not an intentional action of making fried food the focus.

    Therefore, a more accurate and helpful translation would be "When I went to my physical check-up, my doctor told me to stop having a diet that is centered on fried food."

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