yamen guard room; jail
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
2 senses · 5 examplesnoun
yamen guard room; office for yamen runners; (by extension) yamen runners
archaicHistorical term from imperial China. 'Yamen' was the local government office. 'Yamen runners' were low-level officials who performed tasks like delivering messages, making arrests, and guarding.
Zhī知
xiàn县
yī一
pāi拍
jīng惊
táng堂
mù木
，
hǎn喊
dào道
：
“
lái来
rén人
，
yā押
rù入
bān班
fáng房
！
”
The county magistrate slammed his gavel and shouted, 'Guards, take him to the guard room!'
Nà那
jǐ几
gè个
bān班
fáng房
zhèng正
yā押
zhe着
fàn犯
rén人
wǎng往
yá衙
men门
zǒu走
。
Those yamen runners were escorting the prisoner towards the yamen.
noun
jail; lockup; prison (colloquial)
informalA colloquial term for jail or detention center, often used in phrases like '蹲班房' (to be jailed). Implies a local, often temporary, lockup.
Tā他
yīn因
wèi为
dǎ打
jià架
bèi被
zhuā抓
jìn进
qù去
，
dūn蹲
le了
sān三
tiān天
bān班
fáng房
。
He was arrested for fighting and spent three days in jail.
Nǐ你
yào要
shì是
zài再
tōu偷
dōng东
xi西
，
xiǎo小
xīn心
jìn进
bān班
fáng房
！
If you steal again, you'd better watch out or you'll end up in jail!
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Nà那
gè个
xiǎo小
tōu偷
gāng刚
cóng从
bān班
fáng房
lǐ里
fàng放
chū出
lái来
。
That thief was just released from jail.