About
The character 囹 is a phono-semantic compound. The enclosing radical 囗 visually suggests a boundary or prison walls, indicating confinement. The internal component 令 serves as the phonetic element, providing the pronunciation "líng", while also hinting at a connection to legal orders or judicial authority. The character specifically means a prison or place of detention. It is almost exclusively used in the compound word "囹圄" (língyǔ), a formal term for a penitentiary, which solidifies its meaning as a place of incarceration.
Etymology Hide
