jail / prison

Most people don't realize that there is a difference between jail and prison and use the words interchangeably.

A jail is used by local jurisdictions such as counties and cities to confine people for short periods of time, sometimes awaiting for the trial. (Jail usually contains drunks, prostitutes, not so serious offenders. (perhaps up to one year in some states).

A prison is used to house convicted criminals (murderers, terrorists, bank robbers..etc.) for periods of much longer duration. Security is very tight.

The other difference is that jail is county or city operated while prisons are usually state or federal owned and operated (U.S.A.)

A penitentiary (American English) is a large prison for people who are guilty of serious crimes.


bazaar (市集)
1 a market or area where there are a lot of small shops, especially in India or the Middle East
2 an occasion when a lot of people sell different things to collect money for a good purpose : a church bazaar

shopping mall (購物中心;商場) (specially American English)
- a group of shops together in one large covered building