桎梏 (zhì gù) — shackles (literal); fetters; (figurative) constraints, restrictions

Definition

A literary word for 'shackles, fetters' — both the literal restraints on prisoners and, more often, figurative constraints (poverty, tradition, ideology) that hold people back.

noun
shackles (literal)fetters(figurative) constraintsrestrictions

Examples

  • 桎梏
    Gǔ dài fàn rén cháng bèi dài shàng zhì gù.
    Ancient prisoners were often put in shackles.
  • 桎梏
    Chuán tǒng de guān niàn chéng wéi le yì zhǒng zhì gù.
    Traditional concepts have become a kind of shackle.
  • 桎梏
    Tā nǔ lì bǎi tuō pín kùn de zhì gù.
    He strives to escape the shackles of poverty.

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