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-====== qǐsù: 起诉 - To Sue, To Prosecute ======
-===== Quick Summary =====
-  * **Keywords:** qisu, 起诉, sue in Chinese, prosecute in Chinese, file a lawsuit in Chinese, bring a suit, legal action China, Chinese legal terms, how to say sue in Mandarin, qǐsù meaning, qǐsù examples, sue vs prosecute.
-  * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese legal term **起诉 (qǐsù)**, which means to sue or prosecute. This page explains what `qǐsù` means, how to use it in formal legal contexts, and its cultural significance in modern China. Discover the difference between initiating a civil lawsuit (to sue) and a criminal case (to prosecute), and understand why taking this step is considered a very serious matter in Chinese culture. This is a must-know verb for understanding legal news, business disputes, or formal conflicts in the Mandarin-speaking world.
-===== Core Meaning =====
-  * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** qǐ sù
-  * **Part of Speech:** Verb
-  * **HSK Level:** HSK 6
-  * **Concise Definition:** To formally initiate legal proceedings against a person or entity; to sue or prosecute.
-  * **In a Nutshell:** `起诉 (qǐsù)` is the official "start button" for a legal battle in the Chinese system. It's not a casual threat, but the formal, serious act of filing papers with a court to begin a lawsuit. Think of it as "raising a complaint" to the level of the judicial system. It's a heavy, formal word that signifies a conflict has moved beyond negotiation and into the courtroom.
-===== Character Breakdown =====
-  * **起 (qǐ):** This character's primary meaning is "to rise," "to start," or "to initiate." It signifies the beginning of an action. Imagine something starting up from a resting state.
-  * **诉 (sù):** This character means "to tell," "to complain," or "to accuse," usually to a person in authority. The left-side radical `言 (yán)` means "speech," directly linking this character to the act of speaking or making a statement.
-  * Together, **起诉 (qǐsù)** literally translates to "to initiate an accusation" or "to start a complaint." This combination perfectly captures the modern meaning of launching a formal legal case in court.
-===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
-Historically, Chinese culture has prized social harmony (`和谐 - héxié`) and avoiding direct, public confrontation. Resolving disputes through mediation, leveraging personal relationships (`关系 - guānxi`), and preserving "face" (`面子 - miànzi`) for all parties was the preferred method.
-Therefore, deciding to **`起诉 (qǐsù)`** is a culturally significant and very serious step. It is often seen as a last resort, an admission that all other avenues for resolution have failed and that social harmony is irrevocably broken.
-This contrasts with some Western cultures, particularly the United States, where litigation can be more common and sometimes used as a negotiation tactic. In China, to `起诉` someone is to definitively sever a relationship and escalate a private dispute into the public, official realm. While China's legal system is robust and suing is now a common feature of modern society (especially in business), the underlying cultural view remains: it's a grave step that is not taken lightly.
-===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
-`起诉` is a formal term used primarily in legal and official contexts. You will see it and hear it most often in the following situations:
-  * **Civil Lawsuits:** This is the most common usage for everyday people. It's the direct equivalent of "to sue."
-    * e.g., A customer sues a company, one business sues another for breach of contract, or a person sues another for defamation.
-  * **Criminal Law:** In this context, `起诉` means "to prosecute" or "to indict." It's the action taken by the state's prosecutor (`检察院 - jiǎncháyuàn`) against a criminal suspect.
-    * e.g., The state prosecutes a suspect for theft.
-  * **Formal Threats:** In a heated argument where serious damages are involved, someone might threaten, `我要起诉你！` (Wǒ yào qǐsù nǐ! - "I am going to sue you!"). This is a serious threat, not a casual remark.
-  * **News and Media:** News reports about legal cases will always use `起诉`.
-The connotation of `起诉` is neutral from a purely legal standpoint, but in social contexts, it is serious and implies significant conflict.
-===== Example Sentences =====
-  * **Example 1:**
-    * 她决定**起诉**她的前夫，要求分割财产。
-    * Pinyin: Tā juédìng **qǐsù** tā de qiánfū, yāoqiú fēngē cáichǎn.
-    * English: She decided to sue her ex-husband, demanding a division of assets.
-    * Analysis: A classic example of `起诉` in a civil dispute (divorce). This is a formal action taken to resolve a personal matter through the legal system.
-  * **Example 2:**
-    * 这家公司因侵犯知识产权而被**起诉**。
-    * Pinyin: Zhè jiā gōngsī yīn qīnfàn zhīshì chǎnquán ér bèi **qǐsù**.
-    * English: This company was sued for intellectual property infringement.
-    * Analysis: Here, `被 (bèi)` is used to create the passive voice, showing the company was the one being sued. This is a very common structure in news reports.
-  * **Example 3:**
-    * 如果你们不退款，我们就要**起诉**你们公司。
-    * Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐmen bù tuìkuǎn, wǒmen jiù yào **qǐsù** nǐmen gōngsī.
-    * English: If you don't issue a refund, we are going to sue your company.
-    * Analysis: This demonstrates `起诉` used as a serious, formal threat in a consumer or business dispute.
-  * **Example 4:**
-    * 检察院已正式向法院**起诉**了犯罪嫌疑人。
-    * Pinyin: Jiǎncháyuàn yǐ zhèngshì xiàng fǎyuàn **qǐsù** le fànzuì xiányírén.
-    * English: The prosecutor's office has formally prosecuted the criminal suspect in court.
-    * Analysis: This shows the usage of `起诉` in a criminal context, equivalent to "prosecute" or "indict."
-  * **Example 5:**
-    * 作为原告，你需要提供足够的证据来**起诉**被告。
-    * Pinyin: Zuòwéi yuángào, nǐ xūyào tígōng zúgòu de zhèngjù lái **qǐsù** bèigào.
-    * English: As the plaintiff, you need to provide sufficient evidence to sue the defendant.
-    * Analysis: This sentence uses the related legal terms for plaintiff (`原告 - yuángào`) and defendant (`被告 - bèigào`).
-  * **Example 6:**
-    * 他因诽谤罪被一位著名演员**起诉**。
-    * Pinyin: Tā yīn fěibàng zuì bèi yī wèi zhùmíng yǎnyuán **qǐsù**.
-    * English: He was sued by a famous actor for libel.
-    * Analysis: Another example of the passive voice (`被...起诉`), this time in the context of defamation (`诽谤 - fěibàng`).
-  * **Example 7:**
-    * 受害者家属联合起来**起诉**了那家化工厂。
-    * Pinyin: Shòuhàizhě jiāshǔ liánhé qǐlái **qǐsù** le nà jiā huàgōngchǎng.
-    * English: The victims' families joined together to sue that chemical plant.
-    * Analysis: Shows how a group can take collective legal action. `联合起来 (liánhé qǐlái)` means "to unite" or "join together."
-  * **Example 8:**
-    * 在**起诉**之前，最好先咨询一下律师。
-    * Pinyin: Zài **qǐsù** zhīqián, zuìhǎo xiān zīxún yīxià lǜshī.
-    * English: Before filing a lawsuit, it's best to first consult a lawyer.
-    * Analysis: This sentence gives practical advice and shows how `起诉` is used as a noun concept ("the act of suing").
-  * **Example 9:**
-    * 由于证据不足，法院驳回了**起诉**。
-    * Pinyin: Yóuyú zhèngjù bùzú, fǎyuàn bóhuíle **qǐsù**.
-    * English: Due to insufficient evidence, the court dismissed the lawsuit.
-    * Analysis: `驳回 (bóhuí)` means "to reject" or "to dismiss." This shows a potential outcome of filing a suit.
-  * **Example 10:**
-    * 你认为我们有理由**起诉**他们违约吗？
-    * Pinyin: Nǐ rènwéi wǒmen yǒu lǐyóu **qǐsù** tāmen wéiyuē ma?
-    * English: Do you think we have grounds to sue them for breach of contract?
-    * Analysis: A practical question one might ask a lawyer or business partner. `违约 (wéiyuē)` is "to breach a contract."
-===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
-  * **`起诉 (qǐsù)` vs. `告 (gào)`:** This is a key distinction. `告 (gào)` is a broader and often less formal term for "to accuse," "to report," or "to sue." You can `告老师 (gào lǎoshī)` (tattle to the teacher) or `告到警察局 (gào dào jǐngchájú)` (report to the police station). While `告` can also mean sue (`打官司 (dǎ guānsī)` is a common colloquialism), **`起诉 (qǐsù)`** refers *specifically* to the formal, legal act of filing a lawsuit with the court. Using `起诉` for a minor complaint is incorrect.
-    * **Correct:** 我要**起诉**这家公司。 (I want to sue this company.)
-    * **Incorrect:** 我要**起诉**我弟弟，因为他吃了我的蛋糕。(I want to sue my little brother because he ate my cake.) -> This is overkill. You would just `告` him to your parents.
-  * **False Friend: "To Complain"**: Do not confuse `起诉` with the general English word "to complain." The Chinese word for a general complaint is `抱怨 (bàoyuàn)`.
-    * **Example of mistake:** `我对这家餐厅的服务起诉。` (Incorrect)
-    * **Explanation:** This sentence wrongly uses `起诉`. You are not filing a legal case. You are simply expressing dissatisfaction.
-    * **Correct:** 我要**抱怨**一下这家餐厅的服务。(Wǒ yào bàoyuàn yīxià zhè jiā cāntīng de fúwù. - I want to complain about this restaurant's service.)
-===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
-  * [[诉讼]] (sùsòng) - The noun for "litigation" or "a lawsuit." `起诉` is the verb that begins the `诉讼`.
-  * [[告状]] (gàozhuàng) - To tattle or complain to a higher authority, often used informally or for children. Much less serious than `起诉`.
-  * [[原告]] (yuángào) - The plaintiff; the party that initiates the lawsuit.
-  * [[被告]] (bèigào) - The defendant; the party being sued or prosecuted.
-  * [[律师]] (lǜshī) - Lawyer; the legal professional you hire to help you `起诉`.
-  * [[法院]] (fǎyuàn) - Court; the government institution where a lawsuit is filed and heard.
-  * [[上诉]] (shàngsù) - To appeal. If you lose a case, you can `上诉` to a higher court. (`上` means "up").
-  * [[撤诉]] (chèsù) - To withdraw a lawsuit. (`撤` means "to withdraw" or "to retract").
-  * [[和解]] (héjiě) - To settle (a dispute); to reach a settlement. This is often the goal before or during a `诉讼` to avoid a court judgment.