獄

Compound character (semantic–semantic association):

犬 (dog, 犭 radical) – semantic element, symbolizing capture, restraint, or judgment (dogs often linked to guarding or seizing);

言 (speech, words) – semantic element, indicating dispute, argument, or testimony.

Together they suggest “judgment through words, restraining by law”, i.e. a place where disputes are settled and criminals confined.

In early usage, 獄 referred broadly to legal disputes or lawsuits.

Over time, its meaning narrowed to the physical place of confinement, prison.

In classical texts, 獄 was often paired with 罪 (“crime”), emphasizing crime and punishment.

감옥 (監獄) – prison

옥사 (獄死) – death in prison

옥중 (獄中) – in prison

옥사 (獄事) – a legal case, lawsuit

옥졸 (獄卒) – prison guard

獄 belongs to the 犭 radical family, though here it represents not animals but the idea of restraint and control.