央

Inner 大 - pictograph of a person with arms and legs spread wide, the radical anchor for 央. With the yoke 冂 across the shoulders, the figure stands squarely between the two ends of the load. From this 'centered' scene came 央's senses of 'middle' and, by extension, 'to plead' - placing oneself in the middle of someone's attention.

Outer down-box 冂 - two strokes forming an open frame. In 央 it overlays 大 to picture a yoke or carrying-pole resting across a person's shoulders. The figure stands centered between the two ends of the load, which is how the character came to mean 'center, middle.'