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投诉 (tóu sù) — to complain; to file a complaint (especially as a customer)

Definition

投诉 means to file a formal complaint — typically to a business or authority, in writing or through an official channel. Stronger and more official than 抱怨 (casual grumbling), and aimed at an institution rather than a person like 告诉.

verb
to complainto file a complaint (especially as a customer)

Examples

  • ，投诉。
    Wǒ duì zhè jiā gōng sī de fú wù hěn bù mǎn yì, jué dìng tóu sù.
    I am very dissatisfied with this company's service and have decided to file a complaint.
  • ，投诉。
    Rú guǒ nǐ fā xiàn shāng pǐn yǒu wèn tí, kě yǐ xiàng shāng jiā tóu sù.
    If you find a problem with the product, you can complain to the seller.
  • 投诉。
    Zhè wèi gù kè yīn wèi zhì liàng wèn tí tóu sù le duō cì.
    This customer has filed complaints many times over quality issues.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

投tóusubmit
诉sùcomplain

The senses 投 and 诉 run together: submitting and telling a grievance.

Characters in this word

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
殳
殳shū投tóu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left part 扌 shows a hand, and the right part 殳 gives the sound of the character.

Open 投 →

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword, speak
Sound part声符shēngfú
斥
斥chì訴sù
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.

Open 诉 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Business & Commerce5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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