诉 meaning and stroke order
To accuse, to sue; to inform; to narrate
How to write 诉, stroke by stroke
7 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
Meaning of 诉
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to complain
- to sue
- to tell
- variant of 訴|诉[su4]
How 诉 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Words 讠 of blame 斥; 斥 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 诉
诉 combines the speech radical 讠 (words) with 斥 (chì, to blame or scold). Picture someone using words of blame against another person, which is what you do when you complain or sue, and 斥 also hints at the sound.
诉 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It appears in words about telling or complaining, from the everyday 告诉 (gàosu, to tell) to legal terms like 起诉 (qǐsù, to sue) and 上诉 (shàngsù, to appeal). Example: 请告诉我你的名字。(Qǐng gàosu wǒ nǐ de míngzi.) Please tell me your name.
Common mistake: Learners often write the right side as 斤 (jīn) and forget the small dot stroke that makes it 斥. Also, in 告诉 the 诉 is usually said in the neutral tone (gàosu), not a full fourth tone.
Common words with 诉
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 告诉 | gàosu | to press charges; to file a complaint | HSK 1 |
| 投诉 | tóusù | to lodge a complaint | HSK 4 |
| 起诉 | qǐsù | to sue; to bring a lawsuit against | HSK 6 |
| 诉讼 | sùsòng | lawsuit | HSK 7-9 |
| 上诉 | shàngsù | to appeal (a judicial case); appeal | HSK 7-9 |
| 倾诉 | qīngsù | to say everything (that is on one's mind) | HSK 7-9 |
| 诉说 | sùshuō | to recount; to tell of | HSK 7-9 |
| 诉苦 | sùkǔ | to grumble; to complain | HSK 7-9 |
| 控诉 | kòngsù | to accuse; to denounce | |
| 申诉 | shēnsù | to file a complaint; to appeal (to an authority, a higher court of justice etc) | |
| 胜诉 | shèngsù | to win a court case | |
| 公诉人 | gōngsùrén | district attorney; public prosecutor | |
| 公诉 | gōngsù | public prosecution; criminal prosecution | |
| 哭诉 | kūsù | to lament; to complain tearfully |
诉 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 诉
How many strokes are in 诉?
诉 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 诉 mean?
诉 (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 诉?
诉 is pronounced sù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 诉?
The radical of 诉 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 诉 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 诉?
The traditional form of 诉 is 愬 and 訴. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 诉 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 诉 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 诉 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Does 告诉 mean to tell or to sue?
In daily speech 告诉 (gàosu) almost always means to tell or inform someone. The legal sense of pressing charges exists, but it is formal and usually pronounced gàosù with a full tone.
What is the difference between 投诉 and 起诉?
投诉 (tóusù) means to make a complaint to a company, office, or authority, such as complaining about bad service. 起诉 (qǐsù) means to formally sue someone in court.