Mnemonic
A giant mouth clamps shut around a person, instantly turning them into a prisoner. The lips seal like iron gates, teeth lining up like bars. The person pounds desperately against the fleshy walls, but the mouth refuses to open—this prisoner is trapped forever inside.
Additional thoughts
The kanji literally looks like a person (人) inside a box/mouth (囗). Picture being swallowed and locked inside a massive mouth—teeth as bars, lips as gates. The enclosure IS the mouth.Quick recall
A mouth snaps shut around a person, making them a prisoner behind teeth-bars.Details
The keyword for 囚 is prisoner. This kanji vividly depicts a person enclosed within walls, capturing the essence of confinement and captivity. It represents someone who has been imprisoned or detained, held against their will within a confined space. The character conveys the concept of being trapped, incarcerated, or held captive, and extends to the idea of being bound or restricted by circumstances.
- On'yomi
- しゅう
- Kun'yomi
- とら.われる