冒充 màochōng to feign
to feign; to pretend to be; to pass oneself off as
How to remember 冒充: 冒 risk + 充 to fill = to feign.
Characters
How it is used
- 'To pass oneself off as / pose as' something one isn't - 冒充警察 (màochōng jǐngchá) to impersonate a police officer, 冒充名牌 (to pass off as a brand name).
- The 充 fills a false role. Similar to 假冒 (jiǎmào), but 冒充 stresses a person pretending to be someone/something of higher standing.