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圄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
圄yǔprison, jailx, 10 strokes, radical 囗
圄yǔto imprisonunknown, 10 strokes, radical 囗
yǔ(yu3) T3
  1. 1prison, jail
  2. 2to imprison
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

圄yǔ(yu3)

The character 圄 (yǔ) refers to a prison or jail, primarily used in written Chinese. It denotes a place of confinement for those who have committed crimes, emphasizing the physical structure rather than the moral implications of imprisonment. It can also function as a verb meaning 'to imprison.'

Strokes10Radical囗
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of imprisonment is often associated with historical practices of punishment and societal order, reflecting Confucian values regarding law and morality. The image of prisons can evoke discussions about justice and reform within Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'yurt' (sounds like 'yǔ') where people are confined. The structure of the character 圄 resembles a building with a wall around it, symbolizing the enclosure of prisoners. Visualizing a yurt surrounded by walls can help reinforce both the sound and meaning.

Meanings of 圄

yǔ(yu3)
1prison, jail
2to imprison
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 圄

圄Simplified
10Strokes
囗Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 圄

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Podcast: 圄

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AI Study Notes for 圄

Usage Notes

This term is more formal and is often found in legal contexts or literature rather than in everyday conversation. Common collocations include '监狱' (jiānyù, jail) and '被囚' (bèi qiú, to be imprisoned). Be cautious with the tone; mispronouncing 'yǔ' with the wrong tone can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 圄 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it is beneficial for learners at higher levels to understand legal and social issues in Chinese. It connects to the study of related terms about crime and justice, such as '罪' (zuì, crime) and '惩罚' (chéngfá, punishment). Focus on characters that are related to the legal system.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 圄 with similar-sounding characters like '与' (yǔ, to give) due to the tonal differences. For example, saying '与' when you mean '圄' would be incorrect. Always ensure you are using the correct tone and context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 圄

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Etymology of 圄

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

enclosure

Semantic (meaning)囗
+
Phonetic (sound)吾
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 圄

  1. 1The meaning half囗 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half吾 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayenclosure
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 圄? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 圄?

Decomposition of 圄

IDS Structure⿴囗吾
圄Full Character
=
囗wei2
enclosing
吾Wu2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 圄?

How to say prison, jail in Chinese

“prison, jail” in Chinese is圄yǔ

The character 圄 (yǔ) refers to a prison or jail, primarily used in written Chinese. It denotes a place of confinement for those who have committed crimes, emphasizing the physical structure rather than the moral implications of imprisonment. It can also function as a verb meaning 'to imprison.'

When to use 圄

This term is more formal and is often found in legal contexts or literature rather than in everyday conversation. Common collocations include '监狱' (jiānyù, jail) and '被囚' (bèi qiú, to be imprisoned). Be cautious with the tone; mispronouncing 'yǔ' with the wrong tone can change the meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 圄 with similar-sounding characters like '与' (yǔ, to give) due to the tonal differences. For example, saying '与' when you mean '圄' would be incorrect. Always ensure you are using the correct tone and context.

Write 圄

圄

Practice writing 圄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 圄

Words Containing This Character3
身陷囹圄thrown into prison
囹圄prison
圄yǔprison
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 身陷囹圄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 圄

It is pronounced 'yǔ' with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 圄?

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