中堅(ちゅうけん)

ちゅうけん
noun
mid-level; mid-career; core member; center fielder
1. mid-level; mid-career; core member
A person or group that forms the main body of an organization, between newcomers and senior management.
中堅(ちゅうけん)社員(しゃいん)として活躍(かつやく)している。
I'm active as a mid-level employee.
中堅(ちゅうけん)企業(きぎょう)で働(はたら)いている。
I work at a mid-sized company.
彼(かれ)はチームの中堅(ちゅうけん)として重要(じゅうよう)な役割(やくわり)を果(は)たす。
He plays an important role as a core member of the team.
2. center fielder
In baseball, the player who covers center field.
中堅(ちゅうけん)がヒットを打(う)った。
The center fielder got a hit.
中堅(ちゅうけん)手(しゅ)がフライを捕(と)った。
The center fielder caught the fly ball.
彼(かれ)は中堅(ちゅうけん)から右翼(うよく)にポジションを変(か)えた。
He changed his position from center field to right field.

Forms

中(ちゅう) (middle) + 堅(けん) (firm, solid)

Usage

Implies reliability and experience. Often refers to employees with 5-15 years of experience who are neither new nor in senior management.

RELATED WORDS (baseball):
中堅手(ちゅうけんしゅ) - center fielder (formal)
センター - center fielder (common)

Related Words

Related: 幹部(かんぶ) (executive)
Related: 新米(しんまい) (newcomer)
Related: センター (center fielder)
general
Added 2026.1.18 18:27 · Revised 2026.10.11 10:37
06500/06876_chuuken