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

Related Words

Compare: 捕虜(ほりょ) (prisoner of war)

Compare: 人質(ひとじち) (hostage)

general

Added 2026.6.24 9:19 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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