訟 meaning and stroke order
To accuse, to argue; to dispute, to litigate
How to write 訟, stroke by stroke
11 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 訟
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- litigation
How 訟 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
言 gives the meaning and 公 hints at the sound.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 訟
訟 combines 言 (speech) with 公 (gōng, public). Picture people taking their words before the public to argue a case, which is what a lawsuit is.
訟 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It mostly shows up in legal words like 诉讼 (sùsòng, lawsuit). Example: 他们提起了诉讼。(Tāmen tíqǐ le sùsòng.) They filed a lawsuit.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 訟 (sòng) with 颂 (sòng, to praise), since both contain 公 and share the same sound. Remember that the speech radical 言 points to arguing in court, while 颂 uses 页.
Common words with 訟
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 訴訟 | sùsòng | lawsuit | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 訟
How many strokes are in 訟?
訟 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 訟 mean?
訟 (sòng) means to accuse, to argue; to dispute, to litigate. A common word with it is 诉讼 (sùsòng), meaning "lawsuit".
How do you pronounce 訟?
訟 is pronounced sòng, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 訟?
The radical of 訟 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 訟 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 訟?
訟 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 讼, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why is 訟 pronounced sòng when its phonetic part 公 is gōng?
The phonetic component gives a sound hint, not an exact match. Sound changes over centuries pulled the two apart, but both still end in -ong.
How do I say 'to sue someone' in everyday Chinese?
People usually say 起诉 (qǐsù) or 告 (gào), as in 我要告他 (wǒ yào gào tā), I am going to sue him. 诉讼 is more formal and refers to the legal proceeding itself.