mou6 cung1冒充
Jyutpingmou6 cung1
Yalemouh chūng
Definition
To pretend to be; to pass someone or something off as having a certain identity, value, or right.
neutralpeopleother
How it's used
Carries a strong negative connotation, implying deception for personal gain or malicious intent. It is almost exclusively used in formal contexts, news reports, or when describing criminal activity, rather than casual social situations. For everyday situations like a child playing dress up or someone acting silly, use 扮 instead.
Examples
He pretended to be a policeman to scam people out of money, it's outrageous.
Why did you pretend to be my friend when you called?
Related words
Common phrases
to impersonate someone's identity
to pose as an official
Common mistake
Do not use this word for harmless roleplay or simple impersonation. Using it in a casual context makes the speaker sound like they are accusing someone of a serious crime or fraud.
Grammar color guide
Noun
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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.
