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投诉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
投诉tóusùcomplaintHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, rank #4506, Hard
投诉tóusùto file a complaintHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, rank #4506, Hard
投诉tóusùto sueHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, rank #4506, Hard
投诉tóusùto complainHSK 6, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #4506, Hard
投诉tóusùto register a complaint (esp. as a customer)HSK 6, unknown, 14 strokes, rank #4506, Hard
tóusù(tou2su4)tou su T2
  1. 1complaint
  2. 2to file a complaint
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March 24, 2026

投诉(投訴)tóusù(tou2su4)

投诉 (tóusù) means to file a complaint or to register a grievance, often in a customer service context. It's commonly used when someone is dissatisfied with a product or service and seeks resolution from a company or authority.

Strokes14Frequency#4506DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, addressing grievances formally through complaints is often seen as a way to seek justice or resolution, especially in customer service contexts. The rise of e-commerce has led to an increase in the use of 投诉 in online platforms.

Memory Tip

Think of 投 (tóu) as 'throwing' and 诉 (sù) as 'telling'—you are 'throwing' your complaints out into the world for someone to 'tell' your concerns to. Picture a frustrated customer throwing a complaint letter into a suggestion box.

Meanings of 投诉

tóusù(tou2su4)
1complaint
2to file a complaint
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 投诉

投诉Simplified
投訴Traditional
14Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#4506Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2BCT✓CEFRB1

Podcast: 投诉

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Podcast: 投诉

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AI Study Notes for 投诉

Quick Contrast

投诉 (tóusù) vs 申诉 (shēnsù) — use 投诉 when referring to complaints in a consumer context, while 申诉 is more formal and often relates to legal or administrative appeals.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 投诉 with other similar verbs like 抱怨 (bàoyuàn), which means to complain informally. This term is typically more formal and is used in contexts related to customer service or legal matters. Remember to use the correct tone in pronunciation—tóu has a rising tone, while sù has a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 投诉 connects well with other formal vocabulary related to customer service and legal contexts. Students should focus on using it in sentences that reflect complaints or grievances, enhancing their formal communication skills.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 投诉 with 申诉 (shēnsù), which is more about appealing a decision rather than lodging a complaint. For example, saying '我想申诉这个产品' (wǒ xiǎng shēnsù zhège chǎnpǐn) is incorrect if you're merely complaining about a product issue.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 投诉

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Component Characters

投tóuto cast
HSK 57 strokes扌
View full entry
诉sùto complain
HSK 47 strokes讠
View full entry

How to say complaint in Chinese

“complaint” in Chinese is投诉tóusù

投诉 (tóusù) means to file a complaint or to register a grievance, often in a customer service context. It's commonly used when someone is dissatisfied with a product or service and seeks resolution from a company or authority.

When to use 投诉

Be careful not to confuse 投诉 with other similar verbs like 抱怨 (bàoyuàn), which means to complain informally. This term is typically more formal and is used in contexts related to customer service or legal matters. Remember to use the correct tone in pronunciation—tóu has a rising tone, while sù has a falling tone.

投诉 or something close to it

投诉 (tóusù) vs 申诉 (shēnsù) — use 投诉 when referring to complaints in a consumer context, while 申诉 is more formal and often relates to legal or administrative appeals.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 投诉 with 申诉 (shēnsù), which is more about appealing a decision rather than lodging a complaint. For example, saying '我想申诉这个产品' (wǒ xiǎng shēnsù zhège chǎnpǐn) is incorrect if you're merely complaining about a product issue.

Write 投诉

投
诉

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Grammar Patterns of 投诉

投诉 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 5 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

如果你得不到任何赔偿，向园区所有者____。

If you can't get any satisfaction, complain to the park owner.

Example Sentences for 投诉 (8)

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1
如果你得不到任何赔偿，向园区所有者投诉。

rú guǒ nǐ dé bù dào rèn hé péi cháng， ， xiàng yuán qū suǒ yǒu zhě tóu。

If you can't get any satisfaction, complain to the park owner.
2
如果你对修理效果不满意，可以再找他们投诉。

rú guǒ nǐ duì xiū lǐ xiào guǒ bù mǎn yì， ， kě yǐ zài zhǎo tā mén tóu。

If you are not happy about a repair, go back and complain.
3
1933年间，大量的投诉信涌进了巴本的办公室。

1933 1933 nián， jiān ， dà liáng de tóu sù xìn yǒng jìn le bā běn de bàn。

During 1933, Papen's office was deluged with complaints.
4
海滩上的游客投诉有人在沙滩上遛狗。

hǎi tān shàng de yóu kè tóu sù yǒu rén zài shā tān shàng liù gǒu。

Beach users have complained about people walking their dogs on the sand.
5
我刚开始投诉时很犹豫不决。

wǒ gāng kāi shǐ tóu sù shí hěn yóu yù bù jué。

My first attempts at complaining were rather tentative.
6
最常见的投诉与服务差有关。

zuì cháng jiàn de tóu sù yǔ fú wù chà yǒu guān。

The most common complaint is about poor service.
7
他投诉的要点是品质非常差.

tā tóu sù de yào diǎn shì pǐn zhì fēi cháng chà.

The burden of his complaint was that quality was very poor.
8
这份传单介绍了如何向银行意见调查官投诉。

zhè fèn chuán dān jiè shào le rú hé xiàng yín háng yì jiàn tiáo chá guān tóu sù。

The leaflet explains how to complain to the banking ombudsman.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 投诉

You can say '我想投诉这个产品' (wǒ xiǎng tóusù zhège chǎnpǐn) meaning 'I want to complain about this product.'

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