話(はな)し中(ちゅう)

はなしちゅう
noun
busy (phone line); on the phone; in the middle of talking
communication
1. busy (phone line); engaged
The state of a phone line being occupied, producing a busy signal when called.
電話(でんわ)が話(はな)し中(ちゅう)だった。
The phone line was busy.
何度(なんど)かけても話(はな)し中(ちゅう)でつながらない。
No matter how many times I call, the line is busy and I can't get through.
2. in the middle of talking; currently speaking
Being in the process of a conversation, not yet finished talking.
話(はな)し中(ちゅう)にすみませんが、一(ひと)つ質問(しつもん)があります。
Sorry for interrupting while you're talking, but I have a question.
部長(ぶちょう)は今(いま)話(はな)し中(ちゅう)ですので、少(すこ)しお待(ま)ちください。
The manager is on the phone right now, so please wait a moment.
人(ひと)が話(はな)し中(ちゅう)に割(わ)り込(こ)むのは失礼(しつれい)だ。
It's rude to interrupt while someone is talking.

Composed of 話(はな)し (talking) and 中(ちゅう) (in the middle of, during). The phone-related sense (sense 1) was the primary meaning, but with the decline of landlines, sense 2 (currently talking) is increasingly common.

Common collocations

  • 話(はな)し中(ちゅう)の音(おと): busy signal (phone)
  • 話(はな)し中(ちゅう)でつながらない: can't get through because the line is busy
  • 話(はな)し中(ちゅう)に割(わ)り込(こ)む: to cut in while someone is talking

Related words

The ～中(ちゅう) suffix attaches to many nouns to mean 'in the middle of':

Related Words

Related: 会議中(かいぎちゅう) (in a meeting)
Related: 授業中(じゅぎょうちゅう) (during class)
general
Added 2026.3.30 2:05 · Revised 2026.10.4 4:17
20500/20529_hanashichuu