TongTong
Sign in

弄虚作假 (nòng xū zuò jiǎ) — to practice fraud; to engage in deception (idiom)

Definition

A formal idiom for fraud and deception in institutions (business, government, exams). Broader than 作弊, which is mainly cheating on a test or competition.

phrase
to practice fraudto engage in deception (idiom)

Examples

  • 弄虚作假。
    Kǎo shì zhōng jué duì bù kě yǐ nòng xū zuò jiǎ.
    You absolutely cannot engage in fraud during an exam.
  • 弄虚作假。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī yīn wèi nòng xū zuò jiǎ bèi fá kuǎn le.
    This company was fined for practicing fraud.
  • ，弄虚作假。
    Wǒ men yào chéng shí zuò rén, bù néng nòng xū zuò jiǎ.
    We must be honest people and cannot engage in deception.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

弄虚make false
弄nòngmake虚xūfalse
动宾Verb + object
作假make fake
作zuòmake假jiǎfake
动宾Verb + object

弄虚 (make false) and 作假 (make fake) combine to mean practicing deception.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 弄 combines 玉 (jade) with 廾 (hands), showing hands touching or handling jade.

Open 弄 →

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 虛; 虚 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
丘丘qiūhill
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū虛xū
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 虛 pairs the upper 虍, which gives the sound, with a lower part shaped like 丘, 'hill'; the simplified 虚 is a later shorthand.

Open 虚 →

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
乍
乍zhà作zuò
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The left side 亻 comes from 人, meaning 'person', and the right side 乍 gives the sound.

Open 作 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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