HSK · Level 10
135 words
Chinese word
牢
Pronunciation
Pinyinláo
Meaning
- nounjail
Example
那个人被关在牢里。nà ge rén bèi guān zài láo lǐ
That person is being held in jail.
More examples
证据证明无罪后，他从牢里获释了。zhèng jù zhèng míng wú zuì hòu tā cóng láo lǐ huò shì le
After evidence proved him innocent, he was released from jail.
Core concept
A closed enclosure that keeps a person inside and cuts off free movement, from a small cell to a whole jail.
Common phrases
牢房láo fáng
jail cell
从牢里获释cóng láo lǐ huò shì
be released from jail
在牢中度日zài láo zhōng dù rì
spend one's days in jail
Similar words
监狱jiān yù: An institution that holds convicted offenders while they serve their prison terms.
牢房láo fáng: A separate room where a prisoner is kept behind bars or an iron door.
看守所kān shóu suǒ: A short-term holding facility for arrested people awaiting questioning or transfer.
拘留所jū liú suǒ: A place where people are detained for a short time during legal or administrative procedures.
Definition in Chinese
关押人的拘禁场所或囚室，用以限制人身自由，常指监狱或看押处内的房间或简陋囚室。guān yā rén de jū jìn cháng suǒ huò qiú shì yòng yǐ xiàn zhì rén shēn zì yóu cháng zhǐ jiān yù huò kān yā chù nèi de fáng jiān huò jiǎn lòu qiú shì
Word origin
牢 (láo, "jail") originally referred to an enclosure for keeping animals, and its meaning extended to a place that confines people.
Usage tips
- This word appears naturally in news reports, historical accounts, and dramatic speech, but it can sound formal in ordinary conversation.