1.
curfew; gate-closing time
The time by which a person must be home or the time at which the gate or entrance of a dormitory, school, or similar facility is locked. Commonly used for household curfews set by parents.
門限は10時だ。
My curfew is 10 o'clock.
門限に遅れて怒られた。
I got scolded for missing my curfew.
大学の寮には門限があって、夜11時までに戻らないといけない。
The university dorm has a curfew, and you have to be back by 11 p.m.
門限 literally means "gate limit" (門 = gate + 限 = limit). It originally referred to the time when the gate of a compound was locked, but now commonly means any curfew.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 門限がある (to have a curfew)
- 門限に間に合う (to make it home by curfew)
- 門限に遅れる (to miss curfew)
- 門限を破る (to break curfew)
- 門限を過ぎる (to be past curfew)
USAGE NOTES:
Most commonly used when talking about household rules set by parents for teenagers, or the closing time of dormitories and student housing. The word also applies to traditional Japanese inns (旅館) and some hostels that lock their doors at a set time.