TongTong
Sign in

看守所 (kān shǒu suǒ) — detention center for pre-trial detainees, remand prison

Definition

A 看守所 holds suspects and defendants awaiting trial — pre-trial only, not a long-term prison. Distinct from 监狱 (jìānyù), the formal prison for convicted inmates serving sentences.

noun
detention center for pre-trial detainees, remand prison
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 看守所，。
    Tā bèi guān jìn le kān shǒu suǒ, děng dài kāi tíng.
    He was locked up in the detention center awaiting trial.
  • 看守所。
    Lǜ shī míng tiān qù kān shǒu suǒ jiàn tā.
    The lawyer will visit him at the detention center tomorrow.
  • 看守所，。
    Zhè ge kān shǒu suǒ de guǎn lǐ fēi cháng yán gé, bù néng suí biàn jìn qù.
    The management of this detention center is very strict; you can't casually enter.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

看守guard
看kànwatch守shǒuguard
联合Coordinate
所suǒplace

看守 (guard) and 所 (place) build the idea of a place for guarding prisoners.

Characters in this word

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

The shape 看 puts 手 (hand) over 目 (eye), showing a hand placed above the eyes to gaze into the distance.

Open 看 →

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

  • 宀宀miánroof; building
  • 寸寸cùnhand

守 pairs 宀, a roof or building, with 寸, a hand, to show a hand guarding a place.

Open 守 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →
Appears in
Crime & Police

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.