ling4 jyu5囹圄
Jyutpingling4 jyu5
Yalelìhng yúh
Definition
Prison or jail.
writtenother
How it's used
This term is formal and literary, carrying a heavy, serious tone that is rarely used in casual daily speech. It is almost exclusively found in written news reports, legal contexts, or dramatic storytelling to describe someone being imprisoned. When speaking colloquially, Hong Kongers prefer using 監倉 or 坐監 instead.
Examples
He is behind bars because he broke the law.
Who would want to spend their whole life in jail?
Related words
Common phrases
to be imprisoned
Common mistake
Do not use this word in everyday conversation when talking about someone going to jail, as it will sound overly dramatic or like you are quoting a formal news article. Stick to 坐監 for normal speech.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
