Definition

1. Noun:
   • Imprisonment with confinement to a cell or prison: A specific type of prison sentence where the convicted person is deprived of personal liberty and confined to a prison facility, as opposed to non-custodial sentences.
   • A custodial sentence: Refers to the legal punishment of being incarcerated, typically involving serving time in a jail or prison.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Bị cáo bị kết án tù ngồi 5 năm. (The defendant was sentenced to five years of imprisonment.)
  • Tội đó có thể dẫn đến án tù ngồi. (That crime can lead to a custodial sentence.)
  • Hình phạt tù ngồi là nghiêm khắc hơn phạt tiền. (The punishment of imprisonment is more severe than a fine.)

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in legal and formal contexts to distinguish a sentence of incarceration from other judicial measures like probation ("tù treo"), fines, or community service.
• It emphasizes the state of being physically confined and serving time behind bars.

Variants and Related Words

• Án tù ngồi (n): A prison sentence, a term of imprisonment.

  • Tòa tuyên án tù ngồi. (The court pronounced a prison sentence.)

• Tù giam (n): Detention, confinement. This is a close synonym often used interchangeably in legal language.

  • Bản án bao gồm hình phạt tù giam. (The verdict includes a punishment of detention.)

Synonyms

• Imprisonment: The state of being imprisoned.
• Incarceration: The state of being confined in prison.
• Custodial sentence: A judicial punishment consisting of mandatory custody.

Related Idioms

• Ngồi tù: To sit in prison, to serve a jail term. This is a common verbal phrase derived from the concept.
  • Hắn phải ngồi tù mười năm. (He had to serve ten years in prison.)