Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of two dogs and words. Dogs arguing.
Symbolism
Prison, hell, in prison. Represents jail.
Component Breakdown
animal + speech + dog
Words & Expressions
Words written with 獄
Four-Character Compounds
焦熱地獄
しょうねつじごく
burning hell; inferno
無間地獄
むけんじごく
the Avici hell (the eighth and most painful of the eight hells); hell of uninterrupted suffering
八大地獄
はちだいじごく
The Eight Greater Hells
Proverbs & Idioms
獄門にかかる
ごくもんにかかる
To be put on the prison gate
To face capital punishment for serious crimes
Anime & Manga
地獄楽
Hell’s Paradise
A well-known work with 獄 in its Japanese title.
監獄学園〈プリズンスクール〉
Prison School
A well-known work with 獄 in its Japanese title.
地獄少女
Hell Girl
A well-known work with 獄 in its Japanese title.
BLEACH 地獄篇
Bleach the Movie: Hell Verse
A well-known work with 獄 in its Japanese title.
監獄学園[プリズンスクール] マッドワックス
Prison School: Mad Wax
A well-known work with 獄 in its Japanese title.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 獄 mean in Japanese?
獄 means prison, jail.
How do you read 獄?
On'yomi: ゴク (GOKU).
How many strokes does 獄 have?
獄 has 14 strokes. Its radical is 犬 (dog).
Is 獄 a good kanji for a tattoo?
獄 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means prison, jail. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:prison