gaam1監监

Jyutpinggaam1

Yalegāam

語素Uncommon

Definition

Prison, custody, or the state of being deprived of one's freedom.

colloquialother

How it's used

While 監 is a morpheme meaning prison, it is rarely used as a standalone noun in modern speech. It most commonly appears in the phrase 坐監, which functions as a verb meaning to serve time. When referring to the physical building, 監獄 is the standard term used in both formal and informal contexts.

Examples

keoi5佢faan6犯zo2咗faat3法，jiu3要jap6入heoi3去gaam1監dou6度zo6坐gei2幾nin4年。

He broke the law and has to go to prison for a few years.

nei5你zi1知m4唔zi1知keoi5佢ji1依gaa1家zung6仲zo6坐gan2緊gaam1監aa3呀？

Do you know if he is still in prison right now?

Common phrases

co5坐gaam1監

to serve a prison sentence

gaam1監gam3禁

to imprison

Common mistake

Learners often confuse 監 with 睇, as the character 監 is also a component in the verb 睇. Ensure you do not use 監 to mean to watch or look at, as that is strictly the role of 睇.