VocabJLPT N1
imprisonment
Noun

Definitions

  1. 1. penal servitude
  2. 2. imprisonment with hard labor (hard labour)
  3. 3. Penal labour
This noun refers to imprisonment with hard labor, a form of criminal punishment in Japan's legal system. It is more severe than simple detention and is commonly mentioned in news reports about criminal sentencing.

Example sentences

Sentence 1

At dinner, my dad talked about how prison sentences used to be harsher.

Sentence 2

Don't throw around the word "prison" like it's nothing!

Sentence 3

At the legal consultation, I was told, "Depending on the situation, you could be looking at prison time."

Sentence 4

Doesn't that comment show a pretty casual attitude toward prison?

Sentence 5

In the courtroom, the presiding judge sentenced the defendant to three years in prison.