公诉 (gōng sù) — public prosecution (legal) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Public prosecution — the state bringing criminal charges against a suspect, not a private lawsuit by an individual.

noun

public prosecution (legal)

Examples

公诉。
Jiǎn chá guān fù zé tí qǐ gōng sù.
The prosecutor is responsible for initiating a public prosecution.
公诉。
Zhè ge àn jiàn yǐ jīng jìn rù gōng sù jiē duàn.
This case has entered the public prosecution stage.
公诉。
gōng sù Shì sī fǎ jī guān de yí xiàng zhòng yào zhí néng.
Public prosecution is an important function of the judicial organs.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

诉sùprosecute

公 means public, and 诉 means to prosecute, so 公诉 means public prosecution.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

One theory sees 公 as a picture of a wide-mouthed, round-bottomed jar.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 訴; 诉 is its simplified writing.

言斥訴

Meaning part形符xíngfú

言言yánword, speak

Sound part声符shēngfú

斥

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 訴 pairs 言 (word, speak) with 斥, which gives the sound and points to accusing by speech. The simplified 诉 is a later shorthand.

Appears in

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