A Contrastive Study of Japanese -chū/-jū and Chinese -zhōng Attached to Mono- and Tokoro-type Bases: Pedagogical Implications

Abstract

This study bridges contrastive linguistics and language education by examining a persistent challenge for learners of Japanese and
Chinese: the complex suffixes -chū / -jū in Japanese and their cognate -zhōng in Chinese. While these forms share a common origin and basic meaning of "within", their usage patterns diverge significantly, leading to predictable errors rooted in cross-linguistic transfer. Adopting a
modified framework based on Yoshimichi Mizuno, this paper analyzes the behavior of these suffixes specifically with nominal bases representing Mono (thing) and Tokoro (place). The analysis reveals key structural differences, most notably the complementary distribution of -chū
and -jū in Japanese versus the broader, context-dependent usage of -zhōng in Chinese. Building on these findings, this paper discusses their
direct applications for the classroom. It identifies common error patterns for Japanese learners of Chinese (e.g., overgeneralizing -zhōng for
totality) and Chinese learners of Japanese (e.g., confusing -chū and -jū) and proposes targeted pedagogical strategies. By demonstrating how a
systematic contrastive analysis can inform instructional design, this study argues for the integration of such frameworks into language teaching to enhance learner accuracy and deepen cross-linguistic awareness.