獄
獄·prison
- On-yomi
- ゴク
- Kun-yomi
- none
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 地獄 | じごく | hell |
| 監獄 | かんごく | prison, jail |
| 投獄 | とうごく | imprisonment |
| 脱獄 | だつごく | prison break |
Example sentences
通勤ラッシュはまさに地獄だ。
つうきんラッシュはまさにじごくだ。
The commuter rush is absolute hell.
彼は無実の罪で投獄された。
かれはむじつのつみでとうごくされた。
He was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.
その映画は脱獄の話だ。
そのえいがはだつごくのはなしだ。
That movie is about a prison break.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
- 獄犬獄 contains 犬 on the right and the beast radical 犭 on the left — two dogs around 言.
- 獄狱The simplified Chinese form drops strokes; Japanese always uses the full 獄.
Common mistakes
- Reading 地獄 as ちごく — it is じごく
- Forgetting that 地獄 is used figuratively in everyday speech for anything hellish
Memory aid
Picture it
Two guard dogs (犭 and 犬) snarling on either side of the words (言) of a verdict — the jail.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 獄 mean?