Understanding "告诉" - Chinese Word Explanation
1. Basic Information
- Word: 告诉
- Pinyin: gào su (the second syllable is usually neutral in everyday speech; the full-tone reading is gào sù)
- Literal Meaning: “to announce / report” + “to tell / narrate”
- Primary Meaning: to tell someone something; to inform or let someone know
2. In-depth Explanation
- Context and Usage: 告诉 is the everyday verb for passing information to a person. You use it when you tell a friend news, explain a fact, report a problem, or ask someone to tell you something. It almost always needs a listener: you tell someone something. The pattern is usually 告诉 + person + information, as in “tell me the time” or “tell him the news.”
It is neutral in tone and fits spoken and written Chinese. It is more direct and common than formal words such as 通知 (tōng zhī, “to notify”) or 告知 (gào zhī, “to inform,” more official). It is not the best choice for “tell a story” in the sense of narrating fiction; for that, speakers often use 讲 (jiǎng) or 说 (shuō). 告诉 focuses on conveying a message to a specific person.
A small nuance: in commands and requests it is very frequent—“告诉我” means “tell me.” In the negative, 别告诉他 means “don’t tell him,” which is how Chinese often expresses “keep this secret from him.”
- Character Breakdown:
- 告 (gào): to tell, report, announce, or inform. It appears in words about giving notice, such as 报告 (bào gào, “to report”) and 广告 (guǎng gào, “advertisement,” literally a public announcement).
- 诉 (sù): to tell, state, or pour out (as in a complaint or narration). It appears in 诉说 (sù shuō, “to recount”) and 投诉 (tóu sù, “to complain / file a complaint”).
- Together, the two characters reinforce the same idea: putting information into words for another person. That is why 告诉 feels like a straightforward “tell.”
3. Example Sentences
- Chinese: 请告诉我你的电话号码。
- Pinyin: Qǐng gào su wǒ nǐ de diàn huà hào mǎ.
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English: Please tell me your phone number.
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Chinese: 她告诉我明天不上课。
- Pinyin: Tā gào su wǒ míng tiān bú shàng kè.
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English: She told me there is no class tomorrow.
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Chinese: 这件事先别告诉别人。
- Pinyin: Zhè jiàn shì xiān bié gào su bié rén.
- English: Don’t tell anyone else about this for now.
Cultural Notes (if applicable)
In daily Chinese life, 告诉 is the normal, polite way to ask for or give information among friends, family, classmates, and colleagues. Keeping or sharing news is often framed with this verb: people may say 告诉我一声 (“give me a heads-up” / “let me know”) when they want a quick update. Saying 别告诉别人 (“don’t tell other people”) is a common, direct way to mark something as private, without needing a separate word for “secret.” In more formal settings—schools, offices, official notices—speakers may switch to 通知 or 告知, which sound more institutional than a personal “tell.”
Conclusion
记住 告诉 (gào su) as “to tell someone something.” Put the person right after the verb, then the information. Use it for everyday news, facts, and requests like “tell me,” and save more formal words such as 通知 when the situation is official.
Sources and Further Reading
Dictionary links are provided for independent reference. Example sentences and learning notes on this page are educational explanations rather than dictionary quotations.
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