Bound form; not used as a standalone noun in modern Japanese. Appears in compounds like 囚人 (prisoner) or 囚獄 (prison).
The character 囚 evokes images of prison or captives.
Suffix use; attaches to nouns to indicate a person held captive, e.g., 戦争囚 (prisoner of war). Rarely used independently.
See also: 囚人 (しゅうじん)
The treatment of prisoners of war is stipulated by international law.
The kanji 囚 combines 囗 (enclosure) and 人 (person), representing a person confined. The reading しゅう is the on'yomi.
captivity; imprisonment
prisoner; inmate
male convict; male prisoner