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Kotomora

獄

prison, jail

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes14

Readings

On'yomi

  • ゴク

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

獄 centers on confinement and legal judgment: a prison or jail where people are held after being accused or convicted.

Most common words using 獄

20 of 85
  • 地獄じごく
    N2

    hell realm; Naraka

  • 監獄かんごく

    prison

  • 脱獄だつごく

    escaping from prison; breaking out of prison; jailbreak

  • 投獄とうごく

    imprisonment; incarceration

  • 獄ごく

    jail; gaol; prison

  • 牢獄ろうごく

    prison; jail; gaol

  • 獄中ごくちゅう

    during imprisonment; while in jail

  • 煉獄れんごく

    purgatory

  • 疑獄ぎごく

    bribery scandal; graft case

  • 獄門ごくもん

    prison gate

  • 蟻地獄ありじごく

    antlion (larva); doodlebug

  • 獄死ごくし

    death in jail; death in prison

  • 獄卒ごくそつ

    low-ranking prison guard

  • 地獄耳じごくみみ

    being readily aware of rumors and gossip; being quick to learn secrets; having sharp ears

  • 大獄たいごく

    roundup; wholesale arrest

  • 地獄変じごくへん

    picture of Hell

  • 入獄にゅうごく

    being imprisoned; being sent to prison

  • 出獄しゅつごく

    release (from prison)

  • 生き地獄いきじごく

    hell on earth; living hell

  • サラ金地獄サラきんじごく

    loan shark hell; distress caused by high-interest loans and aggressive collection methods

Explore all words using 獄 →

Study

Etymology

獄 combines 犭 (a dog-like animal) with 言 (words/speech), suggesting a guarded place where disputes are judged. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the modern form visually suggests a prison guarded by fierce animals and legal proceedings.

Meaning mnemonic

Two fierce dogs 犭 stand guard on either side while words 言 are exchanged inside: a prison where arguments are settled under watch.

Reading mnemonic

For ゴク, imagine a prisoner locked in a cell with a heavy iron lock that makes a deep 'goku' sound when it closes: goku -> ゴク.