The basic concept is: ![enter image description here][1] **内側** means that spaces are divided by something like fence, and you're standing the inside ground, while **中** is like that there's a vessel and you're inside of it. The interpretation of `Xの内側` and `Xの中` is different regarding the `X`. In the former, `X` indicates **boundary**, while in the latter, `X` is **container**. If `X` is something with inner room, then whoever in `Xの中` is likely to be in that space, but if `X` is a filled material, then they're likely to be packed within it. --- **Random examples taken from Google image search:** They are thought to be in **ガラスの内側** but not ガラスの中: ![enter image description here][2] while he is thought to be in **ガラスの内側** or **ガラスの中**: ![enter image description here][3] and they are thought to be in **ガラスの中** but not ガラスの内側: <sub>(well, these are actually ice cubes but never mind)</sub> ![enter image description here][4] --- **Extra** There's other (mostly figurative) usage of **中**, that is you can refer what you see through apertures such as: 絵の中, 鏡の中, 画面の中 etc. [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/2LPMB.png [2]: https://i.sstatic.net/sgFHR.jpg [3]: https://i.sstatic.net/SpOCa.jpg [4]: https://i.sstatic.net/pEkGj.jpg