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假戏真做 (jiǎ xì zhēn zuò) — to turn a pretense into reality; to carry a joke too far and make it real

Definition

An idiom meaning something that starts as a fake or joke ends up actually happening. Often used for showbiz/fake-relationship plots where the act becomes real.

idiom
to turn a pretense into realityto carry a joke too far and make it real

Examples

  • ，假戏真做。
    Tā men běn lái zhǐ shì yǎn xì, méi xiǎng dào zuì hòu jiǎ xì zhēn zuò le.
    They were just acting at first, but unexpectedly it turned into reality.
  • ，假戏真做，。
    Tā kāi wán xiào shuō yào jié hūn, jié guǒ jiǎ xì zhēn zuò, zhēn de qù lǐng zhèng le.
    He jokingly said he wanted to get married, and it turned into reality — he actually went to get the marriage certificate.
  • 假戏真做。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng jiǎng shù le yí duì jiǎ qíng lǚ jiǎ xì zhēn zuò de gù shi.
    This movie tells the story of a fake couple whose pretense becomes real.

Origin

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 →

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 戲; 戏 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
戈戈gēhalberd
Sound part声符shēngfú
䖒
䖒䖒戲xì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 戲, the shape combines 戈 (halberd) with 䖒, which gives the sound; the word originally meant an army's wing or flank. The simplified 戏 is a later shorthand, not the form described here.

Open 戏 →

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 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 做 →
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Idioms & Set Phrases

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