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Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Document Typedei_DocumentType485BPOS
Document Period End Datedei_DocumentPeriodEndDateMay 31, 2011
Registrant Namedei_EntityRegistrantNameJOHN HANCOCK SOVEREIGN BOND FUND
Central Index Keydei_EntityCentralIndexKey0000045288
Amendment Flagdei_AmendmentFlagfalse
Document Creation Datedei_DocumentCreationDateSep. 26, 2011
Document Effective Datedei_DocumentEffectiveDateOct. 01, 2011
Prospectus Daterr_ProspectusDateOct. 01, 2011
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares
 
Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Risk/Return [Heading]rr_RiskReturnHeadingJOHN HANCOCK BOND FUND
Objective [Heading]rr_ObjectiveHeadingInvestment objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlockTo seek a high level of current income consistent with prudent investment risk.
Fees and expensesjhsbf45288_FundFeesAndExpensesAbstract 
Expense [Heading]rr_ExpenseHeadingFees and expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlockThis table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts on Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in the John Hancock family of funds. More information about these and other discounts is available on pages 14 to 16 of the prospectus under “Sales charge reductions and waivers” or pages 53 to 56 of the fund’s statement of additional information under “Initial Sales Charge on Class A Shares.”
Expense Breakpoint Discountsjhsbf45288_ExpenseBreakpointDiscountsAbstract 
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text]rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscountsYou may qualify for sales charge discounts on Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in the John Hancock family of funds. More information about these and other discounts is available on pages 14 to 16 of the prospectus under “Sales charge reductions and waivers” or pages 53 to 56 of the fund’s statement of additional information under “Initial Sales Charge on Class A Shares.”
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount]rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount 100,000
Shareholder feesrr_ShareholderFeesAbstract 
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]rr_ShareholderFeesCaptionShareholder fees (%) (fees paid directly from your investment)
Annual fund operating expensesrr_OperatingExpensesAbstract 
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]rr_OperatingExpensesCaptionAnnual fund operating expenses (%) (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent“Other expenses” have been restated to reflect current transfer agency and service fees.
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Terminationrr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTerminationSeptember 30, 2012
Expense examplerr_ExpenseExampleAbstract 
Expense Example [Heading]rr_ExpenseExampleHeadingExpense example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlockThis example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. Please see below a hypothetical example showing the expenses of a $10,000 investment in the fund for the time periods indicated (Kept column) and then assuming a redemption of all of your shares at the end of those periods (Sold column). The example assumes a 5% average annual return. The example assumes fund expenses will not change over the periods. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Expense Example by Year [Heading]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearHeadingExpenses ($)
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaptionSold
Expense Example, No Redemptionrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionAbstract 
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaptionKept
Portfolio turnoverjhsbf45288_PortfolioTurnoverAltAbstract 
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeadingPortfolio turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlockThe fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 73% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Raterr_PortfolioTurnoverRate73.00%
Strategy [Heading]rr_StrategyHeadingPrincipal investment strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio of bonds. These may include, but are not limited to, corporate bonds and debentures, as well as U.S. government and agency securities. Most of these securities are investment grade, although the fund may invest up to 25% of assets in high-yield bonds rated as low as CC by Standard and Poor’s Corporation (S&P) and Ca by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s) and their unrated equivalents. There is no limit on the fund’s average maturity.

In managing the fund’s portfolio, the subadviser concentrates on sector allocation, industry allocation and security selection: deciding which types of bonds and industries to emphasize at a given time, and then which individual bonds to buy. When making sector and industry allocations, the subadviser tries to anticipate shifts in the business cycle, using top-down analysis to determine which sectors and industries may benefit over the next 12 months.

In choosing individual securities, the subadviser uses bottom-up research to find securities that appear comparatively undervalued. The subadviser looks at bonds of all quality levels and maturities from many different issuers, potentially including foreign governments and corporations denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. The fund will not invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities denominated in foreign currencies.

The fund intends to keep its exposure to interest-rate movements generally in line with those of its peers. The fund may invest in mortgage-related securities and derivatives, which include futures contracts on securities and indexes; options on futures contracts, securities and indexes; interest rate, foreign currency and credit default swaps; and foreign currency forward contracts, in each case, for the purposes of reducing risk, obtaining efficient market exposure and/or enhancing investment returns. The fund’s investments in U.S. government and agency securities may or may not be supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.

Under normal circumstances, the fund may not invest more than 10% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents.

Risk [Heading]rr_RiskHeadingPrincipal risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The fund’s shares will go up and down in price, meaning that you could lose money by investing in the fund. Many factors influence a mutual fund’s performance.

Instability in the financial markets has led many governments, including the United States government, to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that have experienced extreme volatility and, in some cases, a lack of liquidity. Federal, state and other governments, and their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations, may take actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which the fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

Governments or their agencies may also acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such a program may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Furthermore, volatile financial markets can expose the fund to greater market and liquidity risk and potential difficulty in valuing portfolio instruments held by the fund.

The fund’s main risk factors are listed below in alphabetical order. Before investing, be sure to read the additional descriptions of these risks beginning on page 6 of the prospectus.

Active management risk The subadviser’s investment strategy may fail to produce the intended result.

Changing distribution levels risk The amount of the distributions paid by the fund generally depends on the amount of income and/or dividends received by the fund on the securities it holds.

Credit and counterparty risk The issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security, the counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract or a borrower of a fund’s securities may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its obligations. U.S. government securities are subject to varying degrees of credit risk depending upon the nature of their support. Funds that invest in fixed-income securities are subject to varying degrees of risk that the issuers of the securities will have their credit rating downgraded or will default, potentially reducing a fund’s share price and income level.

Fixed-income securities risk Fixed-income securities are affected by changes in interest rates and credit quality. A rise in interest rates typically causes bond prices to fall. The longer the average maturity of the bonds held by the fund, the more sensitive the fund is likely to be to interest-rate changes. There is the possibility that the issuer of the security will not repay all or a portion of the principal borrowed and will not make all interest payments.

Foreign securities risk As compared to U.S. companies, there may be less publicly available information relating to foreign companies. Foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes. The value of foreign securities is subject to currency fluctuations and adverse political and economic developments.

Hedging, derivatives and other strategic transactions risk Hedging and other strategic transactions may increase the volatility of a fund and, if the transaction is not successful, could result in a significant loss to a fund. The use of derivative instruments could produce disproportionate gains or losses, more than the principal amount invested. Investing in derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments and, in a down market, could become harder to value or sell at a fair price. The following is a list of the derivatives and other strategic transactions in which the fund intends to invest and the main risks associated with each of them:
 
Credit default swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), interest-rate risk, risk of default of the underlying reference obligation and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving credit default swaps.
 
Foreign currency forward contracts Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions) foreign currency risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving foreign currency forward contracts.
 
Foreign currency swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), foreign currency risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving foreign currency swaps.
 
Futures contracts Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions) and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving futures contracts.
 
Interest-rate swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), interest-rate risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving interest-rate swaps.
 
Options Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions) and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving options. Counterparty risk does not apply to exchange-traded options.

Lower-rated fixed-income securities risk and high-yield securities risk Lower-rated fixed-income securities and high-yield fixed-income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are subject to greater credit quality risk and risk of default than higher-rated fixed-income securities. These securities may be considered speculative and the value of these securities can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market or economic developments and can be difficult to resell.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risk Different types of mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities are subject to different combinations of prepayment, extension, interest-rate and/or other market risks.

Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitutionAn investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]rr_RiskLoseMoneyThe fund’s shares will go up and down in price, meaning that you could lose money by investing in the fund.
Past performancejhsbf45288_FundPastPerformanceAbstract 
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeadingPast performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following performance information in the bar chart and table below illustrates the variability of the fund’s returns and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in the fund’s performance from year to year. However, past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate future results. All figures assume dividend reinvestment. Performance for the fund is updated daily, monthly and quarterly and may be obtained at our Web site: www.jhfunds.com/FundPerformance, or by calling Signature Services at 1-800-225-5291 between 8:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on most business days.

Calendar year total returns These do not include sales charges and would have been lower if they did. Calendar year total returns are shown only for Class A shares and would be different for other share classes.

Average annual total returns Performance of a broad-based market index is included for comparison.

After-tax returns These are shown only for Class A shares and would be different for other classes. They reflect the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect as of the date provided and do not reflect any state or local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns may be different. After-tax returns are not relevant to shares held in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturnsThe following performance information in the bar chart and table below illustrates the variability of the fund’s returns and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in the fund’s performance from year to year.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFutureHowever, past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate future results.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block]rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlockPerformance for the fund is updated daily, monthly and quarterly and may be obtained at our Web site: www.jhfunds.com/FundPerformance, or by calling Signature Services at 1-800-225-5291 between 8:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on most business days.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddresswww.jhfunds.com/FundPerformance
Performance Availability Phone [Text]rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone1-800-225-5291
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoadsCalendar year total returns These do not include sales charges and would have been lower if they did.
Performance Additional Market Index [Text]rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndexAverage annual total returns Performance of a broad-based market index is included for comparison.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShownAfter-tax returns These are shown only for Class A shares and would be different for other classes.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Raterr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRateThey reflect the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect as of the date provided and do not reflect any state or local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferredrr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferredYour actual after-tax returns may be different. After-tax returns are not relevant to shares held in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan.
Annual Total Returnsrr_BarChartTableAbstract 
Bar Chart [Heading]rr_BarChartHeadingCalendar year total returns — Class A (%)
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Year-to-date total return The fund’s total return for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was 3.45%.

Best quarter: Q3 ’09, 11.00%

Worst quarter: Q4 ’08, -7.29%

Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Captionrr_AverageAnnualReturnCaptionAverage annual total returns (%) as of 12-31-10
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | Class A
 
Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Trading Symboldei_TradingSymbolJHNBX
Shareholder feesrr_ShareholderFeesAbstract 
Shareholder Fees Column [Text]rr_ShareholderFeesColumnNameClass A
Maximum front-end sales charge (load) on purchases as a % of purchase pricerr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther4.50%
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of purchase or sale price, whichever is lessrr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther1.00%[1]
Annual fund operating expensesrr_OperatingExpensesAbstract 
Operating Expenses Column [Text]rr_OperatingExpensesColumnNameClass A
Management feerr_ManagementFeesOverAssets0.49%[2]
Distribution and service (12b-1) feesrr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets0.30%
Other expensesrr_OtherExpensesOverAssets0.26%[3]
Total annual fund operating expensesrr_ExpensesOverAssets1.05%
Contractual expense reimbursementrr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets(0.05%)[4]
Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reimbursementsrr_NetExpensesOverAssets1.00%
Expense examplerr_ExpenseExampleAbstract 
Expense Example, By Year, Column [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearColumnNameClass A
1 Yearrr_ExpenseExampleYear01547
3 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear03764
5 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear05999
10 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear101,671
Expense Example, No Redemptionrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionAbstract 
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Column [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearColumnNameClass A
1 Yearrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01547
3 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03764
5 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05999
10 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear101,671
Annual Total Returnsrr_BarChartTableAbstract 
2001rr_AnnualReturn20017.12%
2002rr_AnnualReturn20027.36%
2003rr_AnnualReturn20037.62%
2004rr_AnnualReturn20044.53%
2005rr_AnnualReturn20052.38%
2006rr_AnnualReturn20064.45%
2007rr_AnnualReturn20074.90%
2008rr_AnnualReturn2008(11.92%)
2009rr_AnnualReturn200928.43%
2010rr_AnnualReturn201012.84%
Year to Date Return, Labelrr_YearToDateReturnLabelYear-to-date total return The fund’s total return for the six months ended
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Daterr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDateJun. 30, 2011
Bar Chart, Year to Date Returnrr_BarChartYearToDateReturn3.45%
Highest Quarterly Return, Labelrr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabelBest quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Daterr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDateSep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Returnrr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn11.00%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Labelrr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabelWorst quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Daterr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDateDec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Returnrr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn(7.29%)
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | Class B
 
Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Trading Symboldei_TradingSymbolJHBBX
Shareholder feesrr_ShareholderFeesAbstract 
Shareholder Fees Column [Text]rr_ShareholderFeesColumnNameClass B
Maximum front-end sales charge (load) on purchases as a % of purchase pricerr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther 
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of purchase or sale price, whichever is lessrr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther5.00%
Annual fund operating expensesrr_OperatingExpensesAbstract 
Operating Expenses Column [Text]rr_OperatingExpensesColumnNameClass B
Management feerr_ManagementFeesOverAssets0.49%[2]
Distribution and service (12b-1) feesrr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets1.00%
Other expensesrr_OtherExpensesOverAssets0.26%[3]
Total annual fund operating expensesrr_ExpensesOverAssets1.75%
Contractual expense reimbursementrr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets(0.05%)[4]
Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reimbursementsrr_NetExpensesOverAssets1.70%
Expense examplerr_ExpenseExampleAbstract 
Expense Example, By Year, Column [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearColumnNameClass B
1 Yearrr_ExpenseExampleYear01673
3 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear03846
5 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear051,144
10 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear101,873
Expense Example, No Redemptionrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionAbstract 
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Column [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearColumnNameClass B
1 Yearrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01173
3 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03546
5 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05944
10 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear101,873
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | Class C
 
Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Trading Symboldei_TradingSymbolJHCBX
Shareholder feesrr_ShareholderFeesAbstract 
Shareholder Fees Column [Text]rr_ShareholderFeesColumnNameClass C
Maximum front-end sales charge (load) on purchases as a % of purchase pricerr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther 
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of purchase or sale price, whichever is lessrr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther1.00%
Annual fund operating expensesrr_OperatingExpensesAbstract 
Operating Expenses Column [Text]rr_OperatingExpensesColumnNameClass C
Management feerr_ManagementFeesOverAssets0.49%[2]
Distribution and service (12b-1) feesrr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets1.00%
Other expensesrr_OtherExpensesOverAssets0.26%[3]
Total annual fund operating expensesrr_ExpensesOverAssets1.75%
Contractual expense reimbursementrr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets(0.05%)[4]
Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reimbursementsrr_NetExpensesOverAssets1.70%
Expense examplerr_ExpenseExampleAbstract 
Expense Example, By Year, Column [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearColumnNameClass C
1 Yearrr_ExpenseExampleYear01273
3 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear03546
5 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear05944
10 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear102,058
Expense Example, No Redemptionrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionAbstract 
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Column [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearColumnNameClass C
1 Yearrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01173
3 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03546
5 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05944
10 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear102,058
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | before tax | Class A
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass A
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelbefore tax
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear017.75%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear055.97%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear105.87%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | before tax | Class B
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass B
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelbefore tax
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear016.98%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear055.86%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear105.76%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | before tax | Class C
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass C
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelbefore tax
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear0111.06%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear056.20%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear105.62%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | After tax on distributions | Class A
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass A
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelAfter tax on distributions
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear015.55%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear053.78%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear103.78%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | After tax on distributions, with sale | Class A
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass A
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelAfter tax on distributions, with sale
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear014.98%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear053.76%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear103.74%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class A, B and C Shares | Barclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelBarclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear016.59%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear055.56%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear105.83%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class I Shares
 
Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Risk/Return [Heading]rr_RiskReturnHeadingJOHN HANCOCK BOND FUND
Objective [Heading]rr_ObjectiveHeadingInvestment objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlockTo seek a high level of current income consistent with prudent investment risk.
Fees and expensesjhsbf45288_FundFeesAndExpensesAbstract 
Expense [Heading]rr_ExpenseHeadingFees and expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlockThis table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.
Shareholder feesrr_ShareholderFeesAbstract 
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]rr_ShareholderFeesCaptionShareholder fees (%) (fees paid directly from your investment)
Annual fund operating expensesrr_OperatingExpensesAbstract 
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]rr_OperatingExpensesCaptionAnnual fund operating expenses (%) (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Expenses Restated to Reflect Current [Text]rr_ExpensesRestatedToReflectCurrent"Other expenses" have been restated to reflect current transfer agency and service fees.
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Terminationrr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTerminationSeptember 30, 2012
Expense examplerr_ExpenseExampleAbstract 
Expense Example [Heading]rr_ExpenseExampleHeadingExpense example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlockThis example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. Please see below a hypothetical example showing the expenses of a $10,000 investment at the end of the various time frames indicated. The example assumes a 5% average annual return. The example assumes fund expenses will not change over the periods. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Expense Example by Year [Heading]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearHeadingExpenses ($)
Portfolio turnoverjhsbf45288_PortfolioTurnoverAltAbstract 
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeadingPortfolio turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlockThe fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 73% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Raterr_PortfolioTurnoverRate73.00%
Strategy [Heading]rr_StrategyHeadingPrincipal investment strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio of bonds. These may include, but are not limited to, corporate bonds and debentures, as well as U.S. government and agency securities. Most of these securities are investment grade, although the fund may invest up to 25% of assets in high-yield bonds rated as low as CC by Standard and Poor's Corporation (S&P) and Ca by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's) and their unrated equivalents. There is no limit on the fund's average maturity.

In managing the fund's portfolio, the subadviser concentrates on sector allocation, industry allocation and security selection: deciding which types of bonds and industries to emphasize at a given time, and then which individual bonds to buy. When making sector and industry allocations, the subadviser tries to anticipate shifts in the business cycle, using top-down analysis to determine which sectors and industries may benefit over the next 12 months.

In choosing individual securities, the subadviser uses bottom-up research to find securities that appear comparatively undervalued. The subadviser looks at bonds of all quality levels and maturities from many different issuers, potentially including foreign governments and corporations denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. The fund will not invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities denominated in foreign currencies.

The fund intends to keep its exposure to interest-rate movements generally in line with those of its peers. The fund may invest in mortgage-related securities and derivatives, which include futures contracts on securities and indexes; options on futures contracts, securities and indexes; interest rate, foreign currency and credit default swaps; and foreign currency forward contracts, in each case, for the purposes of reducing risk, obtaining efficient market exposure and/or enhancing investment returns. The fund's investments in U.S. government and agency securities may or may not be supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.

Under normal circumstances, the fund may not invest more than 10% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents.

Risk [Heading]rr_RiskHeadingPrincipal risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The fund’s shares will go up and down in price, meaning that you could lose money by investing in the fund. Many factors influence a mutual fund’s performance.

Instability in the financial markets has led many governments, including the United States government, to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that have experienced extreme volatility and, in some cases, a lack of liquidity. Federal, state and other governments, and their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations, may take actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which the fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

Governments or their agencies may also acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such a program may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Furthermore, volatile financial markets can expose the fund to greater market and liquidity risk and potential difficulty in valuing portfolio instruments held by the fund.

The fund’s main risk factors are listed below in alphabetical order. Before investing, be sure to read the additional descriptions of these risks beginning on page 6 of the prospectus.

Active management risk The subadviser’s investment strategy may fail to produce the intended result.

Changing distribution levels risk The amount of the distributions paid by the fund generally depends on the amount of income and/or dividends received by the fund on the securities it holds.

Credit and counterparty risk The issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security, the counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract or a borrower of a fund’s securities may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its obligations. U.S. government securities are subject to varying degrees of credit risk depending upon the nature of their support. Funds that invest in fixed-income securities are subject to varying degrees of risk that the issuers of the securities will have their credit rating downgraded or will default, potentially reducing a fund’s share price and income level.

Fixed-income securities risk Fixed-income securities are affected by changes in interest rates and credit quality. A rise in interest rates typically causes bond prices to fall. The longer the average maturity of the bonds held by the fund, the more sensitive the fund is likely to be to interest-rate changes. There is the possibility that the issuer of the security will not repay all or a portion of the principal borrowed and will not make all interest payments.

Foreign securities risk As compared to U.S. companies, there may be less publicly available information relating to foreign companies. Foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes. The value of foreign securities is subject to currency fluctuations and adverse political and economic developments.

Hedging, derivatives and other strategic transactions risk Hedging and other strategic transactions may increase the volatility of a fund and, if the transaction is not successful, could result in a significant loss to a fund. The use of derivative instruments could produce disproportionate gains or losses, more than the principal amount invested. Investing in derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments and, in a down market, could become harder to value or sell at a fair price. The following is a list of the derivatives and other strategic transactions in which the fund intends to invest and the main risks associated with each of them:
 
Credit default swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), interest-rate risk, risk of default of the underlying reference obligation and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving credit default swaps.
 
Foreign currency forward contracts Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), foreign currency risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving foreign currency forward contracts.
 
Foreign currency swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), foreign currency risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving foreign currency swaps.
 
Futures contracts Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions) and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving futures contracts.
 
Interest-rate swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), interest-rate risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving interest-rate swaps.
 
Options Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions) and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving options. Counterparty risk does not apply to exchange-traded options.

Lower-rated fixed-income securities risk and high-yield securities risk Lower-rated fixed-income securities and high-yield fixed-income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are subject to greater credit quality risk and risk of default than higher-rated fixed-income securities. These securities may be considered speculative and the value of these securities can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market or economic developments and can be difficult to resell.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risk Different types of mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities are subject to different combinations of prepayment, extension, interest-rate and/or other market risks.

Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitutionAn investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]rr_RiskLoseMoneyThe fund’s shares will go up and down in price, meaning that you could lose money by investing in the fund.
Past performancejhsbf45288_FundPastPerformanceAbstract 
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeadingPast performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following performance information in the bar chart and table below illustrates the variability of the fund’s returns and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in the fund’s performance from year to year. However, past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate future results. All figures assume dividend reinvestment. Performance for the fund is updated daily, monthly and quarterly and may be obtained at our Web site: www.jhfunds.com/InstitutionalPerformance, or by calling Signature Services at 1-888-972-8696 between 8:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on most business days.

Average annual total returns Performance of a broad-based market index is included for comparison.

After-tax returns They reflect the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect as of the date provided and do not reflect any state or local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns may be different. After-tax returns are not relevant to shares held in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan.

November 9, 1973 is the inception date for the oldest class of shares, Class A shares. Class I shares were first offered on September 4, 2001; the returns prior to this date are those of Class A shares that have been recalculated to apply the fees and expenses of Class I shares.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturnsThe following performance information in the bar chart and table below illustrates the variability of the fund’s returns and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in the fund’s performance from year to year.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFutureHowever, past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate future results.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block]rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlockPerformance for the fund is updated daily, monthly and quarterly and may be obtained at our Web site: www.jhfunds.com/InstitutionalPerformance, or by calling Signature Services at 1-888-972-8696 between 8:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on most business days.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddresswww.jhfunds.com/InstitutionalPerformance
Performance Availability Phone [Text]rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone1-888-972-8696
Performance Additional Market Index [Text]rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndexAverage annual total returns Performance of a broad-based market index is included for comparison.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Raterr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRateAfter-tax returns They reflect the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect as of the date provided and do not reflect any state or local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferredrr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferredYour actual after-tax returns may be different. After-tax returns are not relevant to shares held in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan.
Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]rr_BarChartReturnsForClassNotOfferedInProspectusClass I shares were first offered on September 4, 2001; the returns prior to this date are those of Class A shares that have been recalculated to apply the fees and expenses of Class I shares.
Annual Total Returnsrr_BarChartTableAbstract 
Bar Chart [Heading]rr_BarChartHeadingCalendar year total returns — Class I (%)
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Year-to-date total return The fund’s total return for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was 3.73%.

Best quarter: Q3 ’09, 11.07%

Worst quarter: Q4 ’08, -7.26%

Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Captionrr_AverageAnnualReturnCaptionAverage annual total returns (%) as of 12-31-10
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class I Shares | Class I
 
Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Trading Symboldei_TradingSymbolJHBIX
Shareholder feesrr_ShareholderFeesAbstract 
Shareholder Fees Column [Text]rr_ShareholderFeesColumnNameClass I
Maximum front-end sales charge (load) on purchases as a % of purchase pricerr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of purchase or sale price, whichever is lessrr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Annual fund operating expensesrr_OperatingExpensesAbstract 
Operating Expenses Column [Text]rr_OperatingExpensesColumnNameClass I
Management feerr_ManagementFeesOverAssets0.49%[2]
Other expensesrr_OtherExpensesOverAssets0.16%[3]
Total annual fund operating expensesrr_ExpensesOverAssets0.65%
Contractual expense reimbursementrr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets(0.05%)[5]
Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reimbursementsrr_NetExpensesOverAssets0.60%
Expense examplerr_ExpenseExampleAbstract 
Expense Example, By Year, Column [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearColumnNameClass I
1 Yearrr_ExpenseExampleYear0161
3 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear03203
5 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear05357
10 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear10806
Annual Total Returnsrr_BarChartTableAbstract 
2001rr_AnnualReturn20017.61%
2002rr_AnnualReturn20027.83%
2003rr_AnnualReturn20038.08%
2004rr_AnnualReturn20045.03%
2005rr_AnnualReturn20052.78%
2006rr_AnnualReturn20064.91%
2007rr_AnnualReturn20075.34%
2008rr_AnnualReturn2008(11.61%)
2009rr_AnnualReturn200929.15%
2010rr_AnnualReturn201013.23%
Year to Date Return, Labelrr_YearToDateReturnLabelYear-to-date total return The fund’s total return for the six months ended
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Daterr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDateJun. 30, 2011
Bar Chart, Year to Date Returnrr_BarChartYearToDateReturn3.73%
Highest Quarterly Return, Labelrr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabelBest quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Daterr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDateSep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Returnrr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn11.07%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Labelrr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabelWorst quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Daterr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDateDec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Returnrr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn(7.26%)
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class I Shares | before tax | Class I
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass I
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelbefore tax
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear0113.23%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear057.39%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear106.82%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class I Shares | After tax on distributions | Class I
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass I
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelAfter tax on distributions
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear0110.76%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear055.02%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear104.56%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class I Shares | After tax on distributions, with sale | Class I
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass I
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelAfter tax on distributions, with sale
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear018.53%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear054.88%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear104.46%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class I Shares | Barclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelBarclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear016.59%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear055.56%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear105.83%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class R6 Shares
 
Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Risk/Return [Heading]rr_RiskReturnHeadingJOHN HANCOCK BOND FUND
Objective [Heading]rr_ObjectiveHeadingInvestment objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlockTo seek a high level of current income consistent with prudent investment risk.
Fees and expensesjhsbf45288_FundFeesAndExpensesAbstract 
Expense [Heading]rr_ExpenseHeadingFees and expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlockThis table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund.
Shareholder feesrr_ShareholderFeesAbstract 
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]rr_ShareholderFeesCaptionShareholder fees (%) (fees paid directly from your investment)
Annual fund operating expensesrr_OperatingExpensesAbstract 
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]rr_OperatingExpensesCaptionAnnual fund operating expenses (%) (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text]rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates“Other expenses” have been estimated for the first year of operations of the fund’s Class R6 shares.
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Terminationrr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTerminationSeptember 30, 2012
Expense examplerr_ExpenseExampleAbstract 
Expense Example [Heading]rr_ExpenseExampleHeadingExpense example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlockThis example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. Please see below a hypothetical example showing the expenses of a $10,000 investment at the end of the various time frames indicated. The example assumes a 5% average annual return. The example assumes fund expenses will not change over the periods. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Expense Example by Year [Heading]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearHeadingExpenses ($)
Portfolio turnoverjhsbf45288_PortfolioTurnoverAltAbstract 
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeadingPortfolio turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlockThe fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund’s performance. During its most recent fiscal year, the fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 73% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Raterr_PortfolioTurnoverRate73.00%
Strategy [Heading]rr_StrategyHeadingPrincipal investment strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings for investment purposes) in a diversified portfolio of bonds. These may include, but are not limited to, corporate bonds and debentures, as well as U.S. government and agency securities. Most of these securities are investment grade, although the fund may invest up to 25% of assets in high-yield bonds rated as low as CC by Standard and Poor's Corporation (S&P) and Ca by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. (Moody's) and their unrated equivalents. There is no limit on the fund's average maturity.

In managing the fund’s portfolio, the subadviser concentrates on sector allocation, industry allocation and security selection: deciding which types of bonds and industries to emphasize at a given time, and then which individual bonds to buy. When making sector and industry allocations, the subadviser tries to anticipate shifts in the business cycle, using top-down analysis to determine which sectors and industries may benefit over the next 12 months.

In choosing individual securities, the subadviser uses bottom-up research to find securities that appear comparatively undervalued. The subadviser looks at bonds of all quality levels and maturities from many different issuers, potentially including foreign governments and corporations denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currencies. The fund will not invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities denominated in foreign currencies.

The fund intends to keep its exposure to interest-rate movements generally in line with those of its peers. The fund may invest in mortgage-related securities and derivatives, which include futures contracts on securities and indexes; options on futures contracts, securities and indexes; interest rate, foreign currency and credit default swaps; and foreign currency forward contracts, in each case, for the purposes of reducing risk, obtaining efficient market exposure and/or enhancing investment returns. The fund's investments in U.S. government and agency securities may or may not be supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.

Under normal circumstances, the fund may not invest more than 10% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents.

Risk [Heading]rr_RiskHeadingPrincipal risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The fund’s shares will go up and down in price, meaning that you could lose money by investing in the fund. Many factors influence a mutual fund’s performance.

Instability in the financial markets has led many governments, including the United States government, to take a number of unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that have experienced extreme volatility and, in some cases, a lack of liquidity. Federal, state and other governments, and their regulatory agencies or self-regulatory organizations, may take actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which the fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the fund itself is regulated. Such legislation or regulation could limit or preclude the fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

Governments or their agencies may also acquire distressed assets from financial institutions and acquire ownership interests in those institutions. The implications of government ownership and disposition of these assets are unclear, and such a program may have positive or negative effects on the liquidity, valuation and performance of the fund’s portfolio holdings. Furthermore, volatile financial markets can expose the fund to greater market and liquidity risk and potential difficulty in valuing portfolio instruments held by the fund.

The fund’s main risk factors are listed below in alphabetical order. Before investing, be sure to read the additional descriptions of these risks beginning on page 6 of the prospectus.

Active management risk The subadviser’s investment strategy may fail to produce the intended result.

Changing distribution levels risk The amount of the distributions paid by the fund generally depends on the amount of income and/or dividends received by the fund on the securities it holds.

Credit and counterparty risk The issuer or guarantor of a fixed-income security, the counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract or a borrower of a fund’s securities may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its obligations. U.S. government securities are subject to varying degrees of credit risk depending upon the nature of their support. Funds that invest in fixed-income securities are subject to varying degrees of risk that the issuers of the securities will have their credit rating downgraded or will default, potentially reducing a fund’s share price and income level.

Fixed-income securities risk Fixed-income securities are affected by changes in interest rates and credit quality. A rise in interest rates typically causes bond prices to fall. The longer the average maturity of the bonds held by the fund, the more sensitive the fund is likely to be to interest-rate changes. There is the possibility that the issuer of the security will not repay all or a portion of the principal borrowed and will not make all interest payments.

Foreign securities risk As compared to U.S. companies, there may be less publicly available information relating to foreign companies. Foreign securities may be subject to foreign taxes. The value of foreign securities is subject to currency fluctuations and adverse political and economic developments.

Hedging, derivatives and other strategic transactions risk Hedging and other strategic transactions may increase the volatility of a fund and, if the transaction is not successful, could result in a significant loss to a fund. The use of derivative instruments could produce disproportionate gains or losses, more than the principal amount invested. Investing in derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments and, in a down market, could become harder to value or sell at a fair price. The following is a list of the derivatives and other strategic transactions in which the fund intends to invest and the main risks associated with each of them:
 
Credit default swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), interest-rate risk, risk of default of the underlying reference obligation and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving credit default swaps.
 
Foreign currency forward contracts Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), foreign currency risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving foreign currency forward contracts.
 
Foreign currency swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), foreign currency risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving foreign currency swaps.
 
Futures contracts Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions) and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving futures contracts.
 
Interest-rate swaps Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions), interest-rate risk and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving interest-rate swaps.
 
Options Counterparty risk, liquidity risk (i.e., the inability to enter into closing transactions) and risk of disproportionate loss are the principal risks of engaging in transactions involving options. Counterparty risk does not apply to exchange-traded options.

Lower-rated fixed-income securities risk and high-yield securities risk Lower-rated fixed-income securities and high-yield fixed-income securities (commonly known as “junk bonds”) are subject to greater credit quality risk and risk of default than higher-rated fixed-income securities. These securities may be considered speculative and the value of these securities can be more volatile due to increased sensitivity to adverse issuer, political, regulatory, market or economic developments and can be difficult to resell.

Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities risk Different types of mortgage-backed securities and asset-backed securities are subject to different combinations of prepayment, extension, interest-rate and/or other market risks.

Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitutionAn investment in the fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]rr_RiskLoseMoneyThe fund’s shares will go up and down in price, meaning that you could lose money by investing in the fund.
Past performancejhsbf45288_FundPastPerformanceAbstract 
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeadingPast performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following performance information in the bar chart and table below illustrates the variability of the fund’s returns and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in the fund’s performance from year to year. However, past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate future results. All figures assume dividend reinvestment. Performance for the fund is updated daily, monthly and quarterly and may be obtained at our Web site: www.jhfunds.com/InstitutionalPerformance, or by calling Signature Services at 1-888-972-8696 between 8:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on most business days.

Average annual total returns Performance of a broad-based market index is included for comparison.

After-tax returns These reflect the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect as of the date provided and do not reflect any state or local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns may be different. After-tax returns are not relevant to shares held in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan.

Because Class R6 shares of the fund do not have a full calendar year of performance, the returns are those of Class A shares that have been recalculated to apply the estimated fees and expenses of Class R6 shares.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturnsThe following performance information in the bar chart and table below illustrates the variability of the fund’s returns and provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund by showing changes in the fund’s performance from year to year.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFutureHowever, past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate future results.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block]rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlockPerformance for the fund is updated daily, monthly and quarterly and may be obtained at our Web site: www.jhfunds.com/InstitutionalPerformance, or by calling Signature Services at 1-888-972-8696 between 8:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M., Eastern Time, on most business days.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddresswww.jhfunds.com/InstitutionalPerformance
Performance Availability Phone [Text]rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone1-888-972-8696
Performance Additional Market Index [Text]rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndexAverage annual total returns Performance of a broad-based market index is included for comparison.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Raterr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRateAfter-tax returns These reflect the highest individual federal marginal income tax rates in effect as of the date provided and do not reflect any state or local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferredrr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferredYour actual after-tax returns may be different. After-tax returns are not relevant to shares held in an IRA, 401(k) or other tax-advantaged investment plan.
Bar Chart, Returns for Class Not Offered in Prospectus [Text]rr_BarChartReturnsForClassNotOfferedInProspectusBecause Class R6 shares of the fund do not have a full calendar year of performance, the returns are those of Class A shares that have been recalculated to apply the estimated fees and expenses of Class R6 shares.
Annual Total Returnsrr_BarChartTableAbstract 
Bar Chart [Heading]rr_BarChartHeadingCalendar year total returns — Class R6 (%)
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Year-to-date total return The fund’s total return for the six months ended June 30, 2011 was 3.69%.

Best quarter: Q3 ’09, 11.14%

Worst quarter: Q4 ’08, -7.19%

Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Captionrr_AverageAnnualReturnCaptionAverage annual total returns (%) as of 12-31-10
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class R6 Shares | Class R6
 
Risk/Return:rr_RiskReturnAbstract 
Trading Symboldei_TradingSymbolJHBSX
Shareholder feesrr_ShareholderFeesAbstract 
Shareholder Fees Column [Text]rr_ShareholderFeesColumnNameClass R6
Maximum front-end sales charge (load) on purchases as a % of purchase pricerr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther none
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) as a % of purchase or sale price, whichever is lessrr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOther none
Annual fund operating expensesrr_OperatingExpensesAbstract 
Operating Expenses Column [Text]rr_OperatingExpensesColumnNameClass R6
Management feerr_ManagementFeesOverAssets0.49%
Other expensesrr_OtherExpensesOverAssets0.10%[6]
Total annual fund operating expensesrr_ExpensesOverAssets0.59%
Contractual expense reimbursementrr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets(0.05%)[7]
Total annual fund operating expenses after expense reimbursementsrr_NetExpensesOverAssets0.54%
Expense examplerr_ExpenseExampleAbstract 
Expense Example, By Year, Column [Text]rr_ExpenseExampleByYearColumnNameClass R6
1 Yearrr_ExpenseExampleYear0155
3 Yearsrr_ExpenseExampleYear03 184
Annual Total Returnsrr_BarChartTableAbstract 
2001rr_AnnualReturn20017.67%
2002rr_AnnualReturn20027.91%
2003rr_AnnualReturn20038.16%
2004rr_AnnualReturn20045.02%
2005rr_AnnualReturn20052.86%
2006rr_AnnualReturn20064.94%
2007rr_AnnualReturn20075.37%
2008rr_AnnualReturn2008(11.52%)
2009rr_AnnualReturn200929.08%
2010rr_AnnualReturn201013.40%
Year to Date Return, Labelrr_YearToDateReturnLabelYear-to-date total return The fund’s total return for the six months ended
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Daterr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDateJun. 30, 2011
Bar Chart, Year to Date Returnrr_BarChartYearToDateReturn3.69%
Highest Quarterly Return, Labelrr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabelBest quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Daterr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDateSep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Returnrr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn11.14%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Labelrr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabelWorst quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Daterr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDateDec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Returnrr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn(7.19%)
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class R6 Shares | before tax | Class R6
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass R6
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelbefore tax
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear0113.40%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear057.45%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear106.87%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class R6 Shares | After tax on distributions | Class R6
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass R6
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelAfter tax on distributions
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear0111.09%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear055.24%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear104.77%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class R6 Shares | After tax on distributions, with sale | Class R6
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Columnrr_AverageAnnualReturnColumnNameClass R6
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelAfter tax on distributions, with sale
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear018.65%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear055.00%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear104.61%
John Hancock Bond Fund | Prospectus Class R6 Shares | Barclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index
 
Average Annual Total Returnsrr_AverageAnnualReturnAbstract 
Labelrr_AverageAnnualReturnLabelBarclays Capital Government/Credit Bond Index
1 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear016.59%
5 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear055.56%
10 Yearrr_AverageAnnualReturnYear105.83%
[1](on certain purchases, including those of $1 million or more)
[2]Reflects the new management fee rate effective July 1, 2011.
[3]"Other expenses" have been restated to reflect current transfer agency and service fees.
[4]The adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its management fee and/or reimburse or pay operating expenses of the fund in order to reduce the total annual fund operating expenses for Class A, Class B and Class C shares by 0.05% of the fund's average daily net assets. These fee waivers and/or reimbursements expire on September 30, 2012, unless renewed by mutual agreement of the fund and the adviser based upon a determination that this is appropriate under the circumstances at the time.
[5]The adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its management fee and/or reimburse or pay operating expenses of the fund in order to reduce the total annual fund operating expenses for Class I shares by 0.05% of the fund's average daily net assets. This fee waiver and/or reimbursement expires on September 30, 2012, unless renewed by mutual agreement of the fund and the adviser based upon a determination that this is appropriate under the circumstances at the time.
[6]"Other expenses" have been estimated for the first year of operations of the fund's Class R6 shares.
[7]The adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its management fee and/or reimburse or pay operating expenses of the fund in order to reduce the total annual fund operating expenses for Class R6 shares by 0.05% of the fund's average daily net assets. These fee waivers and/or reimbursements expire on September 30, 2012, unless renewed by mutual agreement of the fund and the adviser based upon a determination that this is appropriate under the circumstances at the time.