锢

錮

gù

固 + 钅

Definitions

gù obstinate disease; to restrain; to stop

Etymology

To forge 固 metal 钅; 固 also provides the pronunciation

About

锢 is a phono-semantic compound formed from 钅 (metal, 金 in traditional 錮) and 固 (gù, 'solid'), which provides the pronunciation while also reinforcing the idea of firmness. Originally it referred to a metalworking technique of pouring molten metal into cracks to seal them securely. From this core sense of tight fastening, the character came to mean confining, imprisoning, or restricting movement, often with the implication of shackles or heavy restraints. These meanings broadened to abstract uses such as suppressing ideas, prohibiting activities, or describing ingrained, unyielding habits.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

传统观念禁锢了社会。

Chuántǒng guānniàn jìngù le shèhuì.

Traditional concepts confine society.

她试图禁锢自己的记忆。

Tā shìtú jìngù zìjǐ de jìyì.

She tries to confine her memories.

他们用铁链锢住了大门。

Tāmen yòng tiěliàn gù zhù le dàmén.

They used iron chains to seal the gate.

法律不应禁锢言论自由。

Fǎlǜ bù yīng jìngù yánlùn zìyóu.

Laws should not confine freedom of speech.

这种技术能禁锢有害物质。

Zhè zhǒng jìshù néng jìngù yǒuhài wùzhì.

This technology can confine harmful substances.

长期禁锢会导致心理问题。

Chángqī jìngù huì dǎozhì xīnlǐ wèntí.

Long-term confinement can lead to psychological problems.

锢疾难医，需要耐心治疗。

Gùjí nán yī, xūyào nàixīn zhìliáo.

Chronic illnesses are hard to cure and require patient treatment.

在专制统治下，思想禁锢尤为严重。

Zài zhuānzhì tǒngzhì xià, sīxiǎng jìngù yóuwéi yánzhòng.

Under authoritarian rule, thought confinement is particularly severe.

Related Characters

Component: 固

Component: 钅

锢