锢 (gù) - To confine & to imprison

锢Tone 4

gù ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

枫惠

锢 · gù

To confine;

to imprison;

to restrain;

to shackle;

also refers to metal casting or soldering where metal is fixed in place.

To confineto imprisonto restrain

Usage highlights

To imprison/confineFetters/shacklesConfinementFixed/imprisonedTo solder metalConfined thinking

Synonyms

  • 囚— to imprison
  • 禁— to prohibit, to confine
  • 锁— to lock

Antonyms

  • 放— to release
  • 解— to untie, to free
  • 释— to release, to set free

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The prisoner was confined in a cell (禁锢在牢房里).
  • Old ideas can shackle progress (旧思想会禁锢进步).
  • This process involves soldering the metal parts (这个工序需要锢住金属部件).

Collocations

  • To imprison/confine(禁锢)
  • Fetters/shackles(桎梏)
  • Confinement(禁锢)
  • Fixed/imprisoned(被锢)
  • To solder metal(锢金属)
  • Confined thinking(思想禁锢)

Idioms

  • Break through constraints and forge ahead(打破桎梏，奋勇前行)
  • Confined by tradition(被传统所禁锢)
  • Shackles of the mind(心灵的桎梏)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to casting metal into fixed forms, later extended to mean confinement or restraint.
  • Often used in philosophical contexts to describe mental or spiritual constraints.
  • Appears in classical texts describing physical imprisonment or metaphorical bondage.

FAQ