HSK 4, vn, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #7233, Medium
诉
sù
to sue
HSK 4, vn, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #7233, Medium
诉
sù
to tell
HSK 4, vn, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #7233, Medium
诉
sù
to accuse, to sue; to inform; to narrate
HSK 4, vn, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #7233, Medium
sù(su4) T4
1to complain
2to sue
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
诉(愬)sù(su4)
The character 诉 (sù) primarily means 'to complain' or 'to sue' in a legal context. It can also denote the act of telling or narrating something, making it versatile in both formal and informal situations.
Strokes7Radical讠Frequency#7233DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of formally suing someone is often viewed with hesitation, as it may indicate a breakdown in social harmony. The act of 诉 can reflect deep personal grievance or a pursuit of justice.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person in a courtroom, passionately telling their story to the judge. The 's' sound in 'sue' connects to the character 诉, while the radical 言 (yán), meaning 'speech,' emphasizes its connection to speaking and narrating.
Meanings of 诉
sù(su4)
1to complain
2to sue
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 诉
诉Simplified
愬Traditional
7Strokes
讠Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#7233Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 诉
Podcast: 诉
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 诉
Quick Contrast
控诉 (kòngsù) vs 诉说 (shùshuō) — choose 诉 for legal contexts or formal complaints, while 控诉 emphasizes a strong accusation or condemnation, and 诉说 focuses on narrating or recounting a story.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 诉 with other similar-sounding characters that have different tones or meanings, such as 速 (sù, fast). Its usage is generally formal in legal contexts but can be informal when discussing complaints in everyday life.
HSK Study Tips
While 诉 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other legal or narrative terms students might encounter. Focus on its use in formal settings and familiarize yourself with related words to enhance comprehension.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use the wrong tone, saying 'sù' instead of the correct 'sù,' which can lead to confusion with unrelated words. For example, saying '诉' with a rising tone instead of the falling tone can alter its meaning completely.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 诉
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 诉 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Simplified form of 訴. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 斥 represents the sound.
1The giveawayWords 讠 of blame 斥; 斥 also provides the pronunciation
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 诉? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 诉?
Decomposition of 诉
IDS Structure⿰讠斥
诉Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
斥chi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 诉?
How to say to complain in Chinese
“to complain” in Chinese is诉sù
The character 诉 (sù) primarily means 'to complain' or 'to sue' in a legal context. It can also denote the act of telling or narrating something, making it versatile in both formal and informal situations.
When to use 诉
Common mistakes include confusing 诉 with other similar-sounding characters that have different tones or meanings, such as 速 (sù, fast). Its usage is generally formal in legal contexts but can be informal when discussing complaints in everyday life.
诉 or something close to it
控诉 (kòngsù) vs 诉说 (shùshuō) — choose 诉 for legal contexts or formal complaints, while 控诉 emphasizes a strong accusation or condemnation, and 诉说 focuses on narrating or recounting a story.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use the wrong tone, saying 'sù' instead of the correct 'sù,' which can lead to confusion with unrelated words. For example, saying '诉' with a rising tone instead of the falling tone can alter its meaning completely.
Write 诉
诉
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 诉 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 诉
诉 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
