监狱 jiānyù prison
How to remember 监狱: 监 to supervise + 狱 prison = prison.
Characters
How it is used
- A prison - 关进监狱 (guānjìn jiānyù) to be locked up in prison; 越狱 (yùyù) to break out.
- The standard word for a prison/jail as an institution and building.
- Related: 坐牢 (zuòláo, to serve time), 犯人 (fànrén, prisoner). More formal than colloquial 牢 (láo).
Example sentences
- 你去过监狱吗？ Nǐ qùguò jiānyù ma?Have you ever been in jail?
- 你在监狱里呆了多久？ Nǐ zài jiānyù lǐ dāi le duōjiǔ?How long were you in jail?
- 这所监狱专门关押政治犯。 Zhè suǒ jiānyù zhuānmén guānyā zhèngzhìfàn.This prison specializes in incarcerating political prisoners.