装假 (zhuāng jiǎ) — to pretend, to fake, to put on an act

Definition

Verb meaning to pretend or put on an act, usually for a deliberate effect. Pairs naturally with 出 (装出一副样子, 装出…), unlike 假装 which is a more neutral stand-alone verb.

verb
to pretendto faketo put on an act
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，装假。
    Tā míng míng zhī dào dá àn, què gù yì zhuāng jiǎ bù zhī dào.
    He clearly knew the answer, but deliberately pretended not to.
  • 装假，。
    Bié zhuāng jiǎ le, wǒ kàn de chū lái nǐ zài sā huǎng.
    Stop pretending — I can tell you're lying.
  • 装假，。
    Tā zhuāng jiǎ chū yí fù hěn kāi xīn de yàng zi, qí shí xīn lǐ hěn nán guò.
    She put on a very happy appearance, but actually she was very sad inside.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

装zhuāngpretend
假jiǎfalse

“装” means pretend and “假” means false, so to put on a false act.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裝; 装 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
衣衣yīclothes
Sound part声符shēngfú
壯
壯zhuàng裝zhuāng
Same sound today

The traditional form 裝 pairs 衣 (clothes) with 壯 as a sound part; this story is about 裝, not the simplified 装.

Open 装 →

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 →

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