Traditional: 叚
jiǎ HSK 4

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

这是假花。
Zhè shì jiǎ huā.
These are artificial flowers.
他说假话。
Tā shuō jiǎ huà.
He tells lies.
那个消息是假的。
Nàge xiāoxi shì jiǎ de.
That news is false.
这是假钱。
Zhè shì jiǎ qián.
This is counterfeit money.
他说假话。
Tā shuō jiǎ huà.
He tells lies.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 假 as combining the radicals 亻 (person) and 叚 (borrow or false), suggesting a 'person borrowing' or using something false. Associate it with common English words like 'fake' or 'false' to reinforce its meaning.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, as well as in spoken and written Chinese. It is commonly found in discussions about counterfeit goods (e.g., 假货, fake products), forged documents (e.g., 假护照, fake passport), or false information (e.g., 假新闻, fake news).

📖 Grammar Points

As an adjective, 假 typically precedes a noun to modify it, e.g., 假护照 (fake passport). It can also be used in verb phrases like 假装 (jiǎzhuāng, to pretend), where it combines with another character to form a compound verb.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, there is significant concern about counterfeit products, especially in markets, so 假 is frequently used in warnings or discussions about authenticity. Additionally, during festivals like April Fools' Day, phrases like 开玩笑 (kāi wánxiào, to joke) are more common than 假 for playful deception.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 伪 (wěi), which also means 'false' but often implies deliberate deception or forgery (e.g., 伪造, to forge), 假 is more general and commonly used for everyday fake items. Unlike 错 (cuò, meaning 'wrong' or 'mistaken'), 假 specifically refers to something being inauthentic rather than incorrect.

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