TongTong
Sign in

假意 (jiǎ yì) — false intention; insincerity

Definition

Literary noun for 'false intention' or 'insincerity' — the pretense behind someone's words or actions. Almost always written, not used in everyday speech.

noun
false intentioninsincerity

Examples

  • 假意。
    Tā de jiǎ yì ràng wǒ hěn shī wàng.
    His insincerity disappointed me greatly.
  • 假意。
    Tā kàn chuān le tā de jiǎ yì.
    She saw through his false intentions.
  • 假意。
    Bú yào bèi jiǎ yì suǒ mí huò.
    Don't be fooled by insincerity.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

假jiǎfalse
意yìintention

假 false and 意 intention combine to mean false intention or insincerity.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
叚
叚jiǎ假jiǎ
Same sound today

假 pairs 亻 (person) with 叚, which gives the sound jiǎ.

Open 假 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 意 →
Appears in
Abstract Concepts

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.