虜囚

りょしゅう
noun
captive; prisoner of war
1. captive; prisoner taken in war
A person who has been captured and held, especially an enemy taken in battle. A formal, literary word now found mainly in writing, history, and translation.
虜囚(りょしゅう)となる。
to become a captive.
敵(てき)の虜囚(りょしゅう)として扱(あつか)われた。
He was treated as a captive of the enemy.
長(なが)い虜囚(りょしゅう)の身(み)から、ようやく解放(かいほう)された。
He was finally freed after a long captivity.

A formal, somewhat literary term. In everyday speech 捕虜(ほりょ) is far more common.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 虜囚(りょしゅう)となる: to become a captive
  • 虜囚(りょしゅう)の身(み): the status of a captive
  • 虜囚(りょしゅう)生活(せいかつ): life in captivity

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 捕虜(ほりょ): prisoner of war — the ordinary, neutral word
  • 人質(ひとじち): hostage — held to force concessions, not captured in battle
general
Added 2026.6.24 9:19
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