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监狱 (jiān yù) — prison

Definition

监狱 is the standard modern word for 'prison' (the place/institution). It refers to the facility itself, not the people inside — use 囚犯 for a prisoner. 牢 is an older/literary alternative.

noun
prison
Measure word · 所

Examples

  • 监狱。
    Tā yīn qiǎng jié bèi pàn rù jiān yù sān nián.
    He was sentenced to three years in prison for robbery.
  • 监狱，。
    Zhè zuò jiān yù jiàn yú èr shí nián qián, shè shī hěn jiù.
    This prison was built twenty years ago and the facilities are very old.
  • 监狱，。
    Cóng jiān yù chū lái hòu, tā jué xīn chóng xīn zuò rén.
    After getting out of prison, he resolved to turn over a new leaf.

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jiānprison
狱yùprison

监 (prison) and 狱 (prison) are two confinement terms that together 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.

Open 监 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 獄; 狱 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 獄 pairs 㹜 (two dog forms) with 言 (words), showing dogs barking at each other in a jail with guard dogs. The simplified 狱 is a later shorthand.

Open 狱 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 61000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsCrime & Police2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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