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真伪 (zhēn wěi) — authenticity; genuine vs. fake

Definition

Refers to whether something is genuine or fake — typically used in formal contexts like authentication, forgery, or quality verification. A technical, written term rather than everyday vocabulary.

noun
authenticitygenuine vs. fake

Examples

  • 真伪。
    Zhè fú huà de zhēn wěi xū yào zhuān jiā jiàn dìng.
    The authenticity of this painting needs expert appraisal.
  • 真伪。
    Xiāo fèi zhě yào xué huì biàn bié shāng pǐn de zhēn wěi.
    Consumers need to learn to distinguish genuine products from fakes.
  • 真伪。
    Bó wù guǎn duì měi jiàn cáng pǐn dōu yán gé jiǎn chá zhēn wěi.
    The museum strictly checks the authenticity of every collection item.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

真zhēntrue
伪wěifalse

True and false combine to mean authenticity.

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
貝貝bèicowrie; shell
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠂈
𠂈𠂈真zhēn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

Open 真 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 偽; 伪 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
為
為wéi偽wěi
Same sound today

The modern 伪 comes from the traditional form 偽, where 亻 (man) marks the idea as about a person and 為 gives the sound and means “to make”; together they originally meant “artificial”.

Open 伪 →
Appears in
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