伪 wěi false
false; counterfeit; bogus
How to remember 伪: 亻 person + 为 for = false. The person at the market swears the handbag was made for a famous brand, but the stitching shows it is false.
Component breakdown
伪 = 亻 person + 为 for
- 亻 person
- 为 for
- 力 power
- 丶 a drop
- 丶 a drop
The person at the market swears the handbag was made for a famous brand, but the stitching shows it is false.
How it is used
- Fake, forged, or falsely posing as real - 伪造 (wěizào) to forge, 伪装 (wěizhuāng) to disguise, 虚伪 (xūwěi) hypocritical.
- Stronger than 假 (jiǎ, simply not real): 伪 implies deliberate deception or illegitimacy.
- Also brands puppet/illegitimate regimes in history writing - 伪政府 a puppet government.