中央
zhōngyāng · HSK 5
central authorities (of state/party/etc.)
🏛️ 中 = middle/center + 央 = center; doubled-up word for 'the central [authorities]'
中 means middle and 央 also means center, so 中央 literally stacks two 'center' morphemes for emphasis. In political contexts it refers to the central government or party leadership, as opposed to local or regional bodies.
中 — vertical stroke 丨 through enclosure 口
Pictograph of a banner or pole piercing the center of a target or territory, depicting the idea of 'middle' or 'center'. The horizontal frame represents boundaries, and the vertical line marks the central axis. The meaning extended from spatial center to 'middle, central, China' (中国, the Middle Kingdom).