About
牢 is composed of the roof radical 宀 (mián) enclosing the component 牛 (niú), meaning ox. This depicts an animal secured within an enclosure, originally meaning a pen or stable for livestock. The need for a strong structure to contain large animals led to the extended sense of a prison. From the idea of secure containment, it also developed the adjectival meaning of firm, fast, or durable, and the verb meaning to remember something firmly.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这个箱子很牢固。
你一定要牢记老师的话。
小鸟被关进了牢笼。
他总是发牢骚，抱怨工作。
这座桥建造得十分牢靠。
他因犯罪而进了牢狱。
他们的友谊是牢不可破的。
在困境中，他为自己牢牢守住了一线希望。