‘唆讼’ is a classical Chinese legal term referring to the act of inciting or provoking others to file lawsuits—often without just cause—thereby disturbing social harmony and overburdening judicial systems. The first character 唆 (suō) means 'to instigate' or 'to egg on', carrying a negative connotation of manipulation; the second character 讼 (sòng) means 'litigation' or 'legal dispute'. Together, they form a compound noun denoting the offense itself—not the person committing it nor the action as a verb, but the prohibited practice as a concept.

This term appears mainly in historical legal texts, imperial edicts, and scholarly discussions of traditional Chinese law, especially during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It reflects Confucian values that prioritized mediation and moral persuasion over adversarial litigation. Modern Chinese legal language rarely uses 唆讼; instead, contemporary equivalents like '煽动诉讼' or '恶意挑唆诉讼' are employed in formal contexts. Still, 唆讼 remains important for understanding pre-modern governance and legal ethics.