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虚拟 (xū nǐ) — (adjective) virtual (computing, technology); (adjective) fictitious; hypothetical; imaginary; (verb) to imagine; to concoct in one's mind

Definition

虚拟 covers both 'virtual' (tech) and 'fictitious, imagined'. 比 想象 stronger and more systematic (often used for whole worlds/systems); 比 虚构 less about deliberate fabrication.

adjective
virtual (computing, technology)fictitioushypotheticalimaginary
verb
to imagineto concoct in one's mind

Examples

  • 虚拟。
    Zhè ge wǎng zhàn tí gōng xū nǐ xiàn shí tǐ yàn.
    This website offers a virtual reality experience.
  • 虚拟，。
    Zhè ge gù shi wán quán shì xū nǐ de, méi yǒu shì shí yī jù.
    This story is completely made up; it has no factual basis.
  • 虚拟。
    Tā zài nǎo hǎi lǐ xū nǐ le yí gè wèi lái shì jiè.
    He imagined a future world in his mind.

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.

虚xūunreal
拟nǐsimulate

虚 means unreal and 拟 means simulate, together giving an imagined or simulated unreality.

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 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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
以
以yǐ拟nǐ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

拟 is made of 扌 (hand) and 以. The 扌 side is the hand part, and 以 gives the sound.

Open 拟 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Abstract ConceptsComputers & Internet

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