最中

さいちゅう
さなか
in the middle of
height of
in course of
midst

* * *

I

さいちゅう【最中】

〔さなか， 真最中， ただ中， 間， まっ盛り〕

**middle

［the ～］(行為の)最中

leave in the middle of his speech ＝leave his speech in the middle 彼の演説の最中に中座する(＝leave during his speech ［while he is speaking］)

She was in the middle of washing up. 彼女は食事の後片付けの最中だった.

▲the depth(s) of winter 冬の真最中

He's just having dinner. 彼は夕食の最中です

I don't like them to be reading when guests are here. 客が来ている最中に彼らに読書なんかしていてもらいたくない

go to sleep over one's work ［book］ 仕事［読書］の最中にうとうとする

in the (very) act of doing …している最中に《◆「悪いことをしているとき」の場合に用いることが多い》.

II

さなか【最中】

⇒ さいちゅう

* * *

I

さいちゅう【最中】

[⇒まっさいちゅう]

●番組放映の最中から抗議の電話がかかり始めた. Complaints by phone began coming in while the program was still on the air.

●最中に in the middle [midst] of…; at the height of…

・戦闘の最中に in the middle of a battle

・暴風の最中に at the height of a storm.

●試験の最中のできごと a happening during an examination.

●二人は離婚調停の最中だ. The two of them are in the midst of divorce proceedings.

・その家は目下建築の最中です. The house is now under [in (the) course of] construction.

II

さなか【最中】

●冬のさなかでも室内は暖かく, ノースリーブで働く女性もいる. Even in the depths of winter the room is warm, and some women are working sleeveless.

●さなかに in the midst 《of…》; in the depths 《of a crisis》

・大雨のさなかに in the midst of heavy rain

・夫婦げんかのさなかに人が訪ねてきた. Just while we were having a fight, someone came to the house.

III

もなか【最中】

〔菓子〕 bean-jam-filled wafers.