Translation guide
The state of being confined in prison or the act of putting someone in prison. Japanese distinguishes between the legal act, the state of confinement, and specific types of imprisonment.
Describing the condition of being imprisoned or serving a prison sentence.
The most direct term for imprisonment, meaning being thrown into prison. Used for the act or state of being imprisoned.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Formal term for confinement in prison, often used in legal contexts.
The suspect was imprisoned.
A specific legal term for imprisonment without hard labor, under Japanese criminal law. Rare in everyday speech.
A sentence of imprisonment without hard labor was handed down.
Describing the action of imprisoning someone.
Describing the illegal act of detaining someone without legal authority.
投獄 (tougoku) is the general term for imprisonment, often with a nuance of being thrown into prison. 収監 (shuukan) is a formal, legal term for confinement. 禁錮 (kinko) is a specific legal penalty under Japanese law meaning imprisonment without hard labor, and is rarely used outside legal contexts.
禁錮 is a technical legal term. Using it in everyday conversation would sound unnatural. Stick to 投獄 or phrases like 刑務所に入れる for general use.
The government imprisoned the opposition.
The criminal imprisoned the victim in the basement.