How to Write 讼 (sòng) — Meaning “Litigation / Lawsuit”

Imagine two people (公, meaning public) arguing loudly (讠, speech) in a courthouse. The scene of a public speech fight instantly reminds you that 讼 means lawsuit or litigation.

Write the radical 讠 first with two strokes, then the right part 公 with four strokes. Be careful that the top of 公 is a small 八 (not 人) and the bottom is a 厶 (private) shape; do not confuse the strokes of 公 with other similar shapes.

计 means to calculate or plan, with the right side 十 (ten), while 订 means to order or fix, with the right side 丁 (nail). In contrast, 讼 focuses on legal disputes, and its right side 公 emphasizes public proceedings rather than numbers or appointments.

讼 appears in legal contexts, such as 诉讼 (lawsuit) and 诉讼费 (court costs). It is a formal term not used in daily conversation, but important for discussing legal procedures in Chinese culture where resolving disputes through official channels is respected.

Common words containing 讼 include: 诉讼 (sù sòng) — Lawsuit / Litigation; 官讼 (guān sòng) — Lawsuit; 诉讼费 (sù sòng fèi) — Legal fees / Court costs.