訴 meaning and stroke order
To accuse, to sue; to inform; to narrate
How to write 訴, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
Meaning of 訴
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to complain
- to sue
- to tell
How 訴 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Words 言 of blame 斥; 斥 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 訴
訴 is made of 言 (words) and 斥 (to scold, to blame). Picture someone using words of blame against another person, which is exactly what you do when you complain or sue.
訴 (simplified 诉) rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It appears in words about telling and complaining, like 告诉 (gàosu, to tell) and 投诉 (tóusù, to file a complaint), and in legal terms like 起诉 (qǐsù, to sue). Example: 我要投诉这家餐厅。 (Wǒ yào tóusù zhè jiā cāntīng.) I want to file a complaint about this restaurant.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse the right side 斥 (chì) with 斤 (jīn). 斥 has an extra dot at the bottom, and so does the right side of 訴. Also, in everyday speech 告诉 meaning "to tell" is said gàosu with a neutral tone, not gàosù.
Common words with 訴
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 告訴 | gàosu | to press charges; to file a complaint | HSK 1 |
| 投訴 | tóusù | to lodge a complaint | HSK 4 |
| 起訴 | qǐsù | to sue; to bring a lawsuit against | HSK 6 |
| 訴訟 | sùsòng | lawsuit | HSK 7-9 |
| 上訴 | shàngsù | to appeal (a judicial case); appeal | HSK 7-9 |
| 傾訴 | qīngsù | to say everything (that is on one's mind) | HSK 7-9 |
| 訴說 | sùshuō | to recount; to tell of | HSK 7-9 |
| 訴苦 | sùkǔ | to grumble; to complain | HSK 7-9 |
| 控訴 | kòngsù | to accuse; to denounce | |
| 申訴 | shēnsù | to file a complaint; to appeal (to an authority, a higher court of justice etc) | |
| 勝訴 | shèngsù | to win a court case | |
| 公訴人 | gōngsùrén | district attorney; public prosecutor | |
| 公訴 | gōngsù | public prosecution; criminal prosecution | |
| 哭訴 | kūsù | to lament; to complain tearfully |
Questions about 訴
How many strokes are in 訴?
訴 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 訴 mean?
訴 (sù) means to accuse, to sue; to inform; to narrate. A common word with it is 告诉 (gàosu), meaning "to press charges; to file a complaint".
How do you pronounce 訴?
訴 is pronounced sù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 訴?
The radical of 訴 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 訴 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 訴?
訴 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 诉, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Does 告诉 mean "to tell" or "to sue"?
In daily speech 告诉 (gàosu) almost always means "to tell someone something," as in 告诉我 (tell me). The legal sense of pressing charges exists, but it is usually pronounced gàosù and appears mainly in legal texts.
What is the difference between 诉说 and 倾诉?
诉说 (sùshuō) means to recount or tell about something, often a hardship. 倾诉 (qīngsù) means to pour out your heart, telling someone everything you feel, usually to a close friend.