緘かん口こう令れい

か

ん

こ

う

れ

い

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

gag order; gag rule; gag law

An official order prohibiting discussion or disclosure of a specific matter. Often used in legal, political, or organizational contexts.

裁さい判ばん所しょは事じ件けんについて緘かん口こう令れいを敷しいた。
The court imposed a gag order on the case.

政せい府ふはそのスキャンダルに緘かん口こう令れいを出だした。

The government issued a gag rule on that scandal.

Kanji

緘shut, seal
口mouth
令orders, laws, command
箝insert, fit into, attach (a clog thong)
鉗shut up

Related words

口くち止どめN1
箝口令 is a formal, often official gag order issued to a group, while 口止め is the general act of silencing one person or a leak.

Written forms

緘かん口こう令れい
Standard kanji spelling. 緘 means 'to seal' or 'to shut', fitting the meaning of a gag order.
箝かん口こう令れい
Alternate kanji spelling using 箝 (to shut/clamp). Less common than 緘口令 but still encountered.
かん口こう令れい
Mixed kana-kanji spelling. The first character is written in kana, which may be easier for learners.
鉗かん口こう令れい
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form. 鉗 means 'shut up' or 'muzzle', but this spelling is seldom seen.

Etymology

Compound of 緘 (kan, 'to seal/shut') + 口 (kō, 'mouth') + 令 (rei, 'order/command'). The spelling 箝口令 uses 箝 (kan, 'to clamp/shut') with the same reading and meaning. The term is a Sino-Japanese coinage for a formal silencing order.