N3 Time, Sequences, and Change

~最中さいちゅうに: meaning, usage and examples

~最中さいちゅうに means: in the middle of... (usually with an interruption).

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 食事しょくじの最中さいちゅうに、地震じしんが起おきた。

   An earthquake struck right in the middle of the meal.

2. 会議かいぎの最中さいちゅうに、電話でんわが鳴なった。

   The phone rang in the middle of the meeting.

3. シャワーの最中さいちゅうに、電話でんわがかかってきました。

   Someone called right in the middle of my shower.

4. 試合しあいの最中さいちゅうに、雨あめが強つよくなりました。

   In the middle of the game, the rain got heavier.

When to use it

Use 最中さいちゅうに to say that something happened right in the middle of an ongoing activity, usually an interruption or a surprise. 料理りょうりをしている最中さいちゅうに、ガスが止とまった means "The gas went off right in the middle of my cooking." The activity had started and was in full swing when the second event happened.

Nuance

It stresses bad timing: the activity was not finished yet. The second clause is usually a sudden event in the past. As 最中さいちゅうだ / 最中さいちゅうです, it means "I am right in the middle of it": 今いま、会議かいぎの最中さいちゅうです.

Compare

中ちゅうに and 間あいだに just place an event within a period: 会議かいぎ中ちゅうに電話でんわがあった. 最中さいちゅうに stresses "right in the middle" and the disruption: 発表はっぴょうの最中さいちゅうに電気でんきが消きえた. ながら is for two actions one person does together and has no sense of interruption.

Tip: Picture someone interrupting you at the worst possible moment. That is the feeling of 最中さいちゅうに.