1.
to be captured, to be taken prisoner
To be physically seized or captured by someone.
敵に囚われた。
I was captured by the enemy.
戦争で囚われの身となった。
They became a prisoner of war.
兵士たちは長い間囚われていた。
The soldiers were held captive for a long time.
2.
to be bound by, to be fixated on, to be preoccupied with
To be mentally constrained by a particular idea, prejudice, or way of thinking. Unable to think freely because of attachment to something.
先入観に囚われるな。
Don't be bound by preconceptions.
過去に囚われていては前に進めない。
If you're stuck in the past, you can't move forward.
形式に囚われず、自由に考えてみよう。
Let's think freely without being bound by formalities.
囚われる has both a physical and figurative meaning. In modern usage, the figurative sense (sense 2) is more common.
TRANSITIVITY:
- Type: Intransitive (自動詞) — passive form of 捕える
- Pattern: 〜に囚われる
ASPECT (ている):
- 囚われている: is bound by, is fixated on (ongoing state)
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 先入観に囚われる (to be bound by preconceptions)
- 過去に囚われる (to be stuck in the past)
- 形式に囚われる (to be bound by formalities)
- 常識に囚われる (to be constrained by convention)
- 囚われの身 (captive, prisoner)
KANJI NOTE: Can also be written as 捕われる (captured) or 捉われる (seized). 囚われる specifically emphasizes confinement.