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監獄 (かんごく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Meanings 1
noun
prison ; jail
Refers to a prison as a facility or institution. Often used in formal, legal, or news contexts. Compare 刑務所 (けいむしょ), which specifically means a prison under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice, and 拘置所 (こうちしょ), a detention center.
See also: 獄 · 刑務所
その 国くに で は 監かん 獄ごく の 過か 密みつ 状じょう 態たい が 問もん 題だい に なっ て いる 。
Prison overcrowding is a problem in that country.
Written forms 監かん 獄ごく Usage 100%
Standard kanji spelling; common in news and formal contexts.
カンゴク Usage <1%
Kanji 監 oversee, official, govt office Similar words 刑けい 務む 所しょ 刑務所 is the official term for a prison where convicted criminals serve their sentences, while 監獄 is a broader term for any prison facility, including those for pre-trial detention.
拘こう 置ち 所しょ 拘置所 is a detention center for suspects awaiting trial, whereas 監獄 can refer to any type of prison.
Etymology Compound of 監 (かん, 'oversee, watch') and 獄 (ごく, 'prison, jail'). The kanji 監 suggests surveillance, while 獄 originally referred to a place of confinement. The word has been used in Japanese since at least the Edo period.
