Level 3

도중

No base JSON record found for this token.

Meaning and Usage

The word '도중' means 'on the way' or 'in the middle of' something, often referring to a physical journey or an event in progress. It is commonly used to describe something happening during a trip, a process, or an activity.

Common Contexts

You will often hear '도중' in everyday conversations when talking about meeting someone or something occurring while going somewhere or during an event. It can be used with verbs like '만나다' (to meet), '일어나다' (to happen), or '바꾸다' (to change).

Collocations and Patterns

  • '도중에' + verb: Indicates an action or event occurring during the middle of something.
  • '가는 도중에': on the way to a destination.
  • '도중에 멈추다': to stop in the middle of something.

Register and Politeness

'도중' is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It is often combined with polite verb endings to match the speech level.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse '도중' with '중간' (middle) or '사이' (between). '도중' specifically emphasizes the process or journey, often with a temporal nuance, while '중간' is more spatial or positional. Remember to use '도중' when focusing on something happening during an ongoing action or trip.

Example Sentences

학교에 가는 도중에 친구를 만났어요.

Hakgyoe ganeun dojung-e chingureul mannasseoyo.

I met a friend on the way to school.

회의 도중에 전화가 와서 잠시 자리를 비웠어요.

Hoeui dojung-e jeonhwaga waseo jamsi jarireul biwosseoyo.

During the meeting, I got a phone call and stepped away for a moment.

여행 도중에 비가 많이 와서 계획을 바꿨어요.

Yeohaeng dojung-e biga mani waseo gyehoeg-eul bakkwosseoyo.

It rained heavily during the trip, so we changed our plans.