告状

告狀

gàozhuàng

verb HSK 7-9 #19,756

Meanings

他向老师告状。

Tā xiàng lǎoshī gàozhuàng.

He complained to the teacher.

她打算去法院告状。

Tā dǎsuàn qù fǎyuàn gàozhuàng.

She plans to file a lawsuit in court.

usage

告状 can mean filing a formal lawsuit or informally tattling/complaining to an authority figure (teacher, parent, boss).

memory

告 (tell/accuse) + 状 (complaint document) = telling someone about a complaint.

告 gào

状 zhuàng