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.
彼は刑務所から脱獄した。
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.
Referring to the event or act of escaping from prison as a noun.
Helping or causing someone else to escape from prison.
Causative form of 脱獄する, meaning 'to make someone break out' or 'to help someone escape'.
彼は仲間を脱獄させた。
He broke his friend out of 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.
囚人が脱走した。
The prisoner escaped.
A general verb for 'to run away' or 'to escape'. Can be used for prison breaks in casual contexts.
彼は刑務所から逃げ出した。
He ran away from prison.
A more dramatic or literary term for 'breaking out of prison', implying breaking through barriers. Rare in everyday speech.
映画では主人公が破獄するシーンがある。
In the movie, there is a scene where the protagonist breaks out of prison.
The noun form of 'breaking out of prison'. Commonly used in news headlines.
昨夜、脱獄があった。
There was a prison break last night.
Noun meaning 'escape' or 'desertion'. Often used for prison escapes.
脱走のニュースが広まった。
News of the escape spread.
Dramatic noun for 'prison break', emphasizing breaking out. Used in fiction or sensational news.
その破獄事件は全国を震撼させた。
The prison break incident shocked the whole country.
Means 'to let escape' or 'to set free'. Can be used for intentionally allowing a prisoner to escape.
看守は囚人を逃がした。
The guard let the prisoner escape.