梏 (gù) - Shackles, fetters & manacles

梏Tone 4

gù ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

梏 · gù

Shackles, fetters;

manacles;

to bind, restrain;

by extension, constraints or limitations.

Shackles, fettersmanaclesto bind, restrain

Usage highlights

Shackles and fettersHandcuffsWooden shacklesMental constraintsTraditional constraintsBreak free from shackles

Synonyms

  • 桎— fetters for the feet
  • 锁— lock, chains
  • 镣— fetters, shackles

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The prisoner was in handcuffs (手梏).
  • He felt mentally constrained (精神桎梏).
  • Breaking free from the shackles of tradition (传统桎梏).
  • Ancient punishments included wooden fetters (木梏).

Collocations

  • Shackles and fetters(桎梏)
  • Handcuffs(手梏)
  • Wooden shackles(木梏)
  • Mental constraints(精神桎梏)
  • Traditional constraints(传统桎梏)
  • Break free from shackles(摆脱桎梏)

Idioms

  • Shackles and fetters(桎梏)
  • To be bound hand and foot(手足桎梏)
  • Break through constraints(冲破桎梏)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to physical wooden restraints used in ancient Chinese punishments.
  • In Confucian and Daoist texts, used metaphorically for social conventions or desires that restrict one's true nature.
  • Modern usage is almost entirely metaphorical, referring to ideological, psychological, or social limitations.

FAQ