虚假

• Pinyin: xū jiǎ
• Hanzi breakdown: 虚 = 虍 + 业 (empty); 假 = 人 + 叚 (borrowed/false)

Meaning

False; fake; fictitious. Describing information, behaviour, or objects that are deliberately deceptive or not genuine.

Commonly used in legal, journalistic, and commercial contexts (虚假广告 = false advertising, 虚假信息 = misinformation). Implies intentional deception, stronger than 错误 (erroneous) and 不真实 (inaccurate).

Examples

1. 该公司因发布虚假广告误导消费者，被监管机构处以高额罚款。 The company was fined heavily by regulators for misleading consumers with false advertising.
2. 网络上充斥着大量虚假信息，读者在转发前应仔细核实来源的可靠性。 The internet is flooded with misinformation, so readers should carefully verify the reliability of sources before sharing anything.
3. 他在简历中填写了虚假的工作经历，最终被公司以欺诈为由解除劳动合同。 He listed fake work experience on his resume and was ultimately fired by the company for fraud.

Usage Guide

Context: law, media, commerce, journalism

Tone: critical

Do Say

• 平台有责任及时删除虚假信息，防止其在社会上造成恐慌和误导。(Platforms have a responsibility to promptly remove false information to prevent it from causing panic and misleading the public.)
• 调查结果表明，该证人在庭审中提供了虚假陈述，法庭将对此展开进一步调查。(The investigation found that the witness gave false testimony in court, and the tribunal will conduct a further inquiry.)

Don't Say

• 虚假的错误 — redundant; 虚假 already implies deliberate falsehood; use 错误 alone for unintentional mistakes

Origin & History

虚 (empty/false) + 假 (false/fake) — double emphasis on falsehood

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal