撤诉 (chè sù) — to drop a lawsuit

Definition

verb
to drop a lawsuit

Examples

  • 撤诉
    Yuán gào jué dìng chè sù le.
    The plaintiff decided to drop the lawsuit.
  • 撤诉
    Tā pìn qǐng de lǜ shī jiàn yì tā chè sù.
    His hired lawyer advised him to drop the lawsuit.
  • 撤诉
    Jīng guò xié shāng, shuāng fāng tóng yì chè sù.
    After negotiation, both parties agreed to drop the lawsuit.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

chèwithdraw
lawsuit

撤 means withdraw and 诉 means lawsuit, so the word is withdrawing a suit.

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
Written in full asshǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
chèchè
Same sound today

撤 pairs 扌 (hand) with 徹, which gives the sound. The shape shows removing something by hand.

Open 撤 →

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
yánword, speak
Sound part声符shēngfú
chì
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

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