Save Type Settlement Usage Japanese Scripts 中央(Japanese Kanji) ちゅうおう(Japanese Hiragana) Pronounced Pron. CHOO-O [key·IPA] Meaning & History From Japanese 中央 (chūō) meaning "centre, middle, central". This is the name of a special ward of Tokyo as well the name of wards in multiple other cities throughout Japan. It is also the name of a city in Yamanashi Prefecture.