中堅

Reading

Kana: ちゅうけん

Romaji: chūken

Definitions

noun

adj-no

1

main body (of troops)

2

nucleus; backbone; mainstay; key figure

3

center field; centre field; center fielder; centre fielder

noun

4

athlete competing in the middle-number match in a team competition, i.e. second in 3-on-3, third in 5-on-5 (kendo, judo, etc.)

See also: 先鋒 (reading せんぽう, entry #2)

Kanji

中

Readings: チュウ、 なか、 うち、 あた.る

Meanings: in, inside, middle, mean, center

堅

Readings: ケン、 かた.い、 -がた.い

Meanings: strict, hard, solid, tough, tight, reliable