Translation guide
This guide covers how to express the act of escaping from prison or jail in Japanese, from common verbs to dramatic phrases.
The general act of breaking out of a correctional facility.
The most common and direct verb for 'to break out of prison'. Used in news and everyday conversation.
He broke out of prison.
Means 'to escape' or 'to desert', often used for prison breaks but also for fleeing from custody or military desertion.
The prisoner escaped.
A general verb for 'to run away' or 'to escape'. Can be used for prison breaks in casual contexts.
He ran away from prison.
A more dramatic or literary term for 'breaking out of prison', implying breaking through barriers. Rare in everyday speech.
In the movie, there is a scene where the protagonist breaks out of prison.
Referring to the event or act of escaping from prison as a noun.
The noun form of 'breaking out of prison'. Commonly used in news headlines.
There was a prison break last night.
Noun meaning 'escape' or 'desertion'. Often used for prison escapes.
Dramatic noun for 'prison break', emphasizing breaking out. Used in fiction or sensational news.
Helping or causing someone else to escape from prison.
脱獄 specifically means escaping from prison (獄 = jail). 脱走 is broader and can mean escaping from any confinement or deserting from the military. For prison breaks, 脱獄 is more precise and common.
While 逃げる (to escape) can be used, it is too vague without context. Always specify the location (e.g., 刑務所から逃げた) to clarify it's a prison break.
脱走のニュースが広まった。
News of the escape spread.
The prison break incident shocked the whole country.
看守は囚人を逃がした。
The guard let the prisoner escape.