监狱
jiānyù
The English word 'jail' is translated into Mandarin as 监狱 (jiānyù).
监狱 is a formal term used to refer to a correctional facility.
Meaning: place for short-term confinement (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word 监狱 is composed of 监, meaning to supervise or monitor and 狱, meaning prison or jail.
Which one should you use?
While 监狱 refers to a formal prison for sentenced inmates, 看守所 is used for short-term detention centers for those awaiting trial or sentencing. Additionally, 拘留所 refers to a detention center where suspects are held for investigation or short-term incarceration.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express being 'in jail', the locative particle 里 is typically added after 监狱 to indicate the interior of the place.
How do you pronounce it?
jiānyù
Did you know?
- While 监狱 is the formal term, Chinese speakers often use the vivid idiom 吃牢饭, which literally means 'to eat prison rice', to describe the act of being incarcerated.
- In Chinese mythology and ancient beliefs, the character 狱 (yù) is frequently linked to the 'underworld' or the 'prison of the dead', blending legal confinement with spiritual punishment.
- The character 监 in 监狱 originally depicted a person looking down from a high place to supervise. This reflects the historical role of the prison as a place of constant observation rather than just confinement.
Examples in context
- 你去过监狱吗？Have you ever been in jail?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has ever been in 监狱.Tatoeba #8686687 by crescat, translation #6898671 by CK
- 你在监狱里呆了多久？How long were you in jail?This sentence is useful for asking how long someone stayed in 监狱.Tatoeba #5660519 by verdastelo9604, translation #5478202 by CK
- 他关了五年。(Tā guān le wǔ nián.)He was in jail for five years.
- 那个犯人进了监狱。Nàge fànrén jìnle jiānyù.That criminal entered jail.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing a crime drama on television.
- 伟 Wei电影里的主角进监狱了吗？Diànyǐng lǐ de zhǔjué jìn jiānyù le ma?Did the main character in the movie go to jail?
- 欣怡 Xinyi是的，他被关进监狱了。Shì de, tā bèi guān jìn jiānyù le.Yes, he was put in jail.
- 伟 Wei那部电影看起来很真实。Nà bù diànyǐng kàn qǐlái hěn zhēnshí.That movie looks very realistic.
- 欣怡 Xinyi我也这么觉得。Wǒ yě zhème juéde.I think so too.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
