监牢 (jiān láo) — prison; jail | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

prisonjail

Measure word · 座

Examples

监牢。
Tā bèi guān jìn jiān láo lǐ le.
He was locked up in prison.
监牢。
Zhè zuò jiān láo jiàn zài huāng liáng de jiāo wài.
This prison was built in a desolate suburb.
监牢。
Fàn rén cóng jiān láo lǐ táo le chū lái.
The prisoner escaped from jail.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

监 and 牢 both point to a place of confinement, so together they mean prison.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 監; 监 is its simplified writing.

臥臥wòa person with an emphasized eye
皿皿mǐncontainer

The traditional form 監 shows 臥, a person with an emphasized eye, looking into 皿, a container; the simplified 监 is a later shorthand.

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

宀牛牢

宀宀miánpen; animal yard
牛牛niúcow

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

Appears in

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