cau4 gam3囚禁
Jyutpingcau4 gam3
Yalechàuh gam
Definition
To imprison, confine, or hold someone captive.
neutralpeopleanimals
How it's used
Focuses on the physical restriction of movement rather than the legal process of incarceration. While it can be used for people, it is frequently applied to animals or objects being kept in confined spaces. It carries a formal or dramatic tone, often appearing in news reports or stories about kidnapping.
Examples
They kept the cat imprisoned inside the cage.
Who imprisoned him in this place?
Related words
Common mistake
Avoid using this to describe being stuck in traffic or a busy place, as it implies a deliberate, forceful act of confinement. Use 困住 instead for situations where someone is merely trapped or unable to leave.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
