N-Phenylsulfonyl N'-triazinylureas and -thioureas of formula I ##STR1## in which X is oxygen, sulfur, SO or SO.sub.2 ; W is oxygen or sulfur; R.sub.1 is hydrogen or methyl; R.sub.2 is hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, (X).sub.n R.sub.3, NO.sub.2, NR.sub.4 R.sub.5, --C.tbd.CR.sub.6, ##STR2## or cyano; n is the number 0 or 1; R.sub.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl which is substituted by 1-4 halogen atoms, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkoxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkylthio; or C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkenyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.4 alkenyl which is substituted by 1-4 halogen atoms; R.sub.4 is hydrogen, CH.sub.3 O, CH.sub.3 CH.sub.2 O or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl; R.sub.5 is hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl; R.sub.6 is hydrogen, methyl or ethyl; R.sub.7 is hydrogen or methyl; Z is ##STR3## E is nitrogen; R.sub.8 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio, halogen, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkoxyalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkoxyalkoxy, amino, C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkylamino or di(C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl)amino and R.sub.9 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkoxy, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 haloalkylthio, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkoxyalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkoxyalkoxy, C.sub.2 -C.sub.5 alkylthioalkyl or cyclopropyl, and the salts of these compounds with amines, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal bases or quaternary ammonium bases have good pre- and postemergence selective herbicidal and growth-regulating properties.