箝かん口こう令れいを敷しく

Meanings

1

expression, godan verb (-ku)

impose a gag order; hush up; order silence

Used when an authority or group forbids discussion of a matter, often in political, corporate, or scandal contexts. The phrase literally means 'lay down a gag order'.

政せい府ふはその事じ件けんについて箝かん口こう令れいを敷しいた。
The government imposed a gag order on the incident.
会かい社しゃ

は

不ふ

祥しょう

事じ

に

箝かん

口こう

令れい

を

しく

方ほう

針しん

だ

。

The company plans to hush up the scandal.

Written forms

箝かん口こう令れいを敷しく
Standard kanji spelling; 箝口令 (gag order) + 敷く (lay down).
箝かん口こう令れいをしく
Variant using hiragana しく instead of kanji 敷く; less common but still seen.
緘かん口こう令れいを敷しく
Rare variant using 緘 (seal) instead of 箝 (clamp); 緘口令 is an uncommon spelling.

Kanji

箝insert, fit into, attach (a clog thong)
口mouth
令orders, laws, command
敷spread, pave, sit
緘shut, seal

Similar words

口くち止どめ
口止め is a more general term for silencing someone, often through bribery or threat, while 箝口令を敷く specifically refers to an official or systematic gag order.
緘かん口こう令れい
緘口令 is the noun 'gag order'; 箝口令を敷く is the verb phrase meaning to impose such an order.

Etymology

From 箝口令 (gag order, from 箝 'clamp' + 口 'mouth' + 令 'order') + を + 敷く (lay down, spread). The phrase figuratively means 'to lay down a gag order'.