中古
ちゅうこ · chuuko · JLPT N3 · na-adj
used
🚗 中古 = middle + old: not new, not ancient, just used
中 means middle and 古 means old. Something 中古 sits in between, no longer new but still usable. You'll see 中古車 (used car) and 中古品 (second-hand goods) on shop signs all over Japan.
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).
古 — ten 十 + mouth 口
古 is traditionally analyzed as 十 (ten) over 口 (mouth), suggesting words passed down through ten generations — hence 'ancient' or 'old.' Some scholars view the top as a stylized helmet or skull shape in oracle bone forms. The core meaning of 'ancient, old, former times' has remained stable since early Chinese writing.