诉 (sù) — (bound form) to tell, relate, inform; (bound form) to accuse, sue, appeal
Definition
诉 is a bound form — it never stands alone, only inside compounds like 告诉 (tell), 控诉 (accuse), or 诉讼 (lawsuit). Its two senses are 'to inform/tell' and 'to accuse/sue', which the surrounding verb carries.
bound form
to tellrelateinformto accusesueappeal
Examples
- 。Tā gào sù wǒ zhè jiàn dà shì.He told me about this big matter.
- 。Tā men jué dìng tí qǐ sù sòng.They decided to file a lawsuit.
- 。Tā zài fǎ tíng shàng kòng sù le tā de zuì xíng.She accused him of his crimes in court.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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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