告
gào · HSK 7
accuse
⚖️ 告 = 牛 (ox) + 口 (mouth) — an ox's mouth makes a public declaration
Etymology: oxen were sacrificed and their mouths used in oaths, so 告 came to mean a formal declaration or accusation. Today it covers reporting, announcing, and bringing legal charges against someone.
告 — ox 牛 (top) + mouth 口
Originally a pictograph showing an ox with something on its head, possibly a yoke or sacrificial marker, combined with 口 (mouth) to suggest announcing or reporting. The character came to mean 'to tell' or 'to announce,' as in making a formal declaration. Today it commonly appears in words like 告诉 (to tell) and 报告 (report).