囚牢 (qiú láo) — prison; jail

Definition

noun
prisonjail
Measure word · 座

Examples

  • 囚牢。
    Tā yīn fàn zuì bèi guān jìn le qiú láo.
    He was put into prison for committing a crime.
  • 囚牢。
    Zhè zuò qiú láo jiàn yú yì bǎi nián qián.
    This prison was built a hundred years ago.
  • 囚牢。
    Tā cóng qiú láo lǐ táo le chū lái.
    He escaped from the prison.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

囚qiúprisoner
牢láoprison

囚 refers to a prisoner or confinement, while 牢 is a prison; together they mean jail.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 囗囗wéibox, enclosure
  • 人人rénperson

囚 puts 人 (person) inside 囗 (box, enclosure), making a person enclosed, hence prisoner.

Open 囚 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 宀宀miánpen; animal yard
  • 牛牛niúcow

牢 places 牛, a cow, under 宀, a pen or animal yard.

Open 牢 →

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