Definitions

qiú prisoner

Etymology

Depicts a person () trapped inside an enclosure ().

About

The character "囚" derives from an illustrative concept of confinement, structured by enclosing the component for person (人) within the radical representing a boundary or jail (囗), thus visually conveying the state of being imprisoned. This etymological foundation has anchored its primary meaning to that of a prisoner or the act of incarcerating, a sense consistently maintained in classical and modern usage. While its graphical form has seen little alteration, the semantic scope has occasionally expanded to include abstract notions of entrapment or restriction, yet without departing from its core association with physical or figurative captivity.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个犯很后悔。

Zhège qiúfàn hěn hòuhuǐ.

This prisoner is very remorseful.

他被禁在监狱里。

Tā bèi qiújìn zài jiānyù lǐ.

He is imprisoned in jail.

禁生活非常艰苦。

Qiújìn shēnghuó fēicháng jiānkǔ.

Life in imprisonment is very hard.

那个徒渴望获得自由。

Nàgè qiútú kěwàng huòdé zìyóu.

That prisoner longs for freedom.

警方禁了那名嫌疑犯。

Jǐngfāng qiújìnle nà míng xiányífàn.

The police imprisoned that suspect.

犯们在监狱里学习技能。

Qiúfànmen zài jiānyù lǐ xuéxí jìnéng.

The prisoners learn skills in prison.

他被错误地禁了十年之久。

Tā bèi cuòwù de qiújìnle shí nián zhī jiǔ.

He was wrongly imprisoned for ten years.

禁他的地方是一个阴暗的地下室。

Qiújìn tā de dìfāng shì yīgè yīn'àn de dìxiàshì.

The place where he was imprisoned is a dark basement.