HSK · Level 50
120 words
Chinese word
诉苦
Pronunciation
Pinyinsù kǔ
Meaning
- verbcomplain
Example
他总是向同事诉苦。tā zǒng shì xiàng tóng shì sù kǔ
He is always complaining to his colleagues.
More examples
她经常在吃饭时向朋友诉苦。tā jīng cháng zài chī fàn shí xiàng péng yǒu sù kǔ
She often vents to her friends while eating.
Core concept
Presents personal troubles to a listener as something to be understood, not merely information to be recorded.
Common phrases
向朋友诉苦xiàng péng yǒu sù kǔ
vent to friends
向家人诉苦xiàng jiā rén sù kǔ
vent to family
对同事诉苦duì tóng shì sù kǔ
vent to coworkers
Similar words
抱怨bào yuàn: Saying that something is unsatisfactory, often with blame directed at its cause.
埋怨mán yuàn: Letting someone know about lingering resentment or dissatisfaction toward them.
发牢骚fā láo sāo: Making small, repeated complaints about everyday annoyances.
倾诉qīng sù: Sharing deep worries or feelings with someone in order to be heard and understood.
Definition in Chinese
向别人倾诉自己的委屈、不满或烦恼，常带有寻求安慰或理解的意味。xiàng bié rén qīng sù zì jǐ de wěi qū bù mǎn huò fán nǎo cháng dài yǒu xún qiú ān wèi huò lí jiě de yì wèi
Word origin
诉 (sù, "tell or report") + 苦 (kǔ, "suffering") gives the sense of telling someone about personal hardship.
Usage tips
- In the pattern 向 (xiàng, "toward") + a person + 诉苦 (sùkǔ, "share one's troubles"), the person is the listener, not automatically the cause of the problem.