How do you use "Copycat" in a sentence?

Don't be such a copycat. He's just a copycat—no original ideas. There were copycat crimes after the news coverage.

Copycat

Q: What does "Copycat" mean?

Someone who imitates another; a person who copies. A 'copycat' imitates others—copying their work, style, or actions. Usually pejorative, implying lack of originality. 'Copycat crime' describes crimes inspired by earlier ones.

Slang Term AmericanBritishAustralian ★★★★★ Very Common Casual

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Meaning: Someone who imitates another; a person who copies.

模仿他人的人；抄袭者。

Alguien que imita a otro; una persona que copia.

他人を真似る人；コピーする人。

다른 사람을 모방하는 사람; 따라쟁이.

A 'copycat' imitates others—copying their work, style, or actions. Usually pejorative, implying lack of originality. 'Copycat crime' describes crimes inspired by earlier ones.

'Copycat'（模仿猫）是模仿他人的人——抄袭他们的作品、风格或行为。通常是贬义的，暗示缺乏原创性。'Copycat crime'描述受早期犯罪启发的犯罪。

Un 'copycat' imita a otros—copiando su trabajo, estilo o acciones. Normalmente peyorativo, implica falta de originalidad. 'Copycat crime' describe crímenes inspirados por otros anteriores.

「copycat」は他人を真似る人—仕事、スタイル、行動をコピーする。通常は否定的で、独創性の欠如を示唆します。「copycat crime」は以前の犯罪に触発された犯罪を表します。

'Copycat'은 다른 사람을 모방하는 사람으로—남의 일, 스타일, 행동을 베낀다. 보통 부정적으로, 독창성이 없다는 것을 암시한다. 'Copycat crime'은 이전 범죄에서 영감을 받은 범죄를 말한다.

Examples

Don't be such a copycat.
别老是模仿别人
No seas tan imitador
そんなに真似しないで
그렇게 따라 하지 마.
He's just a copycat—no original ideas.
他就是个抄袭者——没有原创想法
Es solo un imitador—sin ideas originales
彼はただの模倣者—オリジナルのアイデアがない
그는 그냥 모방자야—독창적인 아이디어가 없어.
There were copycat crimes after the news coverage.
新闻报道后出现了模仿犯罪
Hubo crímenes imitadores después de la cobertura mediática
報道後に模倣犯罪が起きた
보도 후에 모방 범죄가 일어났다.

Pronunciation

/ˈkɒpikæt/

Usage Guide

Context: imitation, children, crime

Tone: accusatory, critical

✓ Do Say

Copycat
模仿者
Imitador
真似っこ
따라쟁이
Copycat behaviour
模仿行为
Comportamiento imitador
模倣行為
모방 행위
Copycat crime
模仿犯罪
Crimen imitador
模倣犯罪
모방 범죄

Common Mistakes

Often used by children about peers

Origin & History

Emerged in the late 19th century. The connection to cats is unclear—cats don't notably copy. Possibly from the repetitive nature of cat movements or simply alliterative appeal.

Etymology: Disputed: possibly alliteration, cats don't notably copy

First recorded: Late 19th century American

Cultural Context

Era: Late 19th century onwards

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Pop culture: Copycat crimes; Children's usage

Regional notes: American origin, global usage.

Variations

CopycatCopy cat