抗诉 (kàng sù) — (of a procuratorate) to lodge a protest against a court judgment; to file an appeal; (general) to protest; to contest (a legal decision)

Definition

Legal term: a procuratorate (检察院) formally protests or appeals a court judgment it considers improper. 诉讼/起诉 cover general "to sue/litigate"; 抗诉 is the specific higher-level challenge to a ruling.

verb
(of a procuratorate) to lodge a protest against a court judgmentto file an appeal(general) to protestto contest (a legal decision)

Examples

  • 抗诉。
    Jiǎn chá yuàn jué dìng duì cǐ àn de pàn jué tí chū kàng sù.
    The procuratorate decided to lodge a protest against the judgment in this case.
  • 。
    Tā men xiàng shàng yī jí fǎ yuàn kàng guò yí cì sù.
    They filed a protest once with the higher court.
  • ，抗诉。
    Rú guǒ duì cái dìng bù fú, kě yǐ yī fǎ kàng sù.
    If you disagree with the ruling, you can legally lodge a protest.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

抗kàngprotest
诉sùlegal action

抗诉 is a prosecutor's formal protest against a judgment, not a party's appeal; 抗 conveys protest and 诉 legal action.

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shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
亢
亢kàng抗kàng
Same sound today

抗 is made from 扌, a written form of 手 (hand), and 亢, which gives the sound.

Open 抗 →

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 →

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