heoi1 gaa2虛假虚假
Jyutpingheoi1 gaa2
Yalehēui gá
Definition
False, fake, untrue, or hypocritical.
- false; fake; untrue
- hypocritical; insincere
neutraldescriptionspeople
How it's used
While 虛假 is used in formal or legal contexts to mean fake or fraudulent, it is also frequently applied to people to describe insincerity or hypocrisy. When describing a person, it carries a strong negative connotation of being two-faced or performative. It is significantly more formal than the common colloquial term 假.
Examples
He is very hypocritical, always saying one thing and doing another.
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often use 虛假 to describe physical objects that are replicas, but 假 is much more natural for everyday items like fake bags or fake flowers. Reserve 虛假 for abstract concepts, legal documents, or character assessments.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Aspect markersCantonese has no tenses, but it does have aspect markers. Learn how zo2, gwo3, gan2, and hai2 dou6 show completion, experience, and ongoing action.
- In 30 secondsThe whole language at a glance. No tenses, no plurals, six tones, sentence particles. Read this before you dive into any specific topic.
- ParticlesSentence particles add tone, emotion, and nuance. Learn the most common particles in Cantonese and how to use them.
