fetters; shackles; bond; connection
Literary word for physical restraints or metaphorical bonds that tie people together. Rare in modern everyday speech; more common in older or formal writing.
He tried to escape from the shackles of old customs.
The bonds of friendship are stronger than anything.
絆 is the modern common word for emotional bonds; 羈絆 is its rare, more formal literary counterpart that can also imply physical fetters.
Rare kanji spelling; the characters are not in common use. The word itself is literary.
Variant kanji spelling, even rarer than 羈絆.
The exact derivation is uncertain; the kanji 羈 (bridle, reins) and 絆 (fetters, bonds) combine to suggest restraint or connection. The word is a literary Sino-Japanese compound.