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公訴 (こうそ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word Freq. Frequency Top 100,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
public prosecution ; indictment ; formal accusation
law
Legal term for a prosecutor bringing a criminal case before a court. In ordinary news and legal writing, it often appears in the set phrase 公訴を提起する, while 起訴 is the more familiar everyday word.
The court dismissed the prosecution in that case.
Kanji 公 public, prince, official 訴 accusation, sue, complain of pain Similar words 起き 訴そ More common general term for indicting or prosecuting someone; 公訴 is the more technical legal concept of bringing a public criminal prosecution.
告こく 訴そ A complaint filed by a victim or other entitled person asking authorities to punish an offender; it is not the prosecutor's formal prosecution itself.
告こく 発はつ A report or accusation made to investigative authorities, often by someone other than the victim; it precedes possible investigation and prosecution.
Etymology Sino-Japanese legal compound: 公 means public or official, and 訴 means to sue, appeal, or complain. The spelling transparently reflects the legal idea of an official/public prosecution.
