Learn a Chinese Character - 假

1. Character Basics

Radical: 亻/人 (rén) radical (person)

Stroke Count: 11

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jiǎ, jià

Pronunciation Note: This character has two main pronunciations. The first is "jiǎ" (third tone) meaning "false, fake, pretend". The second is "jià" (fourth tone) meaning "holiday, vacation".

3. Meaning

false, fake, artificial, pretend, assume, suppose, if, holiday, vacation, day off

4. Common Words

• 假期 (jiàqī) - holiday, vacation - A period of time when one does not have to work or attend school
• 真假 (zhēnjiǎ) - true or false, genuine or fake - The state of being real or not
• 假装 (jiǎzhuāng) - to pretend, to feign - To act as if something is true when it is not
• 假如 (jiǎrú) - if, suppose - A conjunction used to introduce a hypothetical situation
• 请假 (qǐngjià) - to ask for leave, to request time off - To formally ask for permission to be absent from work or school
• 假山 (jiǎshān) - artificial hill, rockery - A man-made hill or pile of rocks in a garden or park

5. Grammar & Usage

1. As an adjective (jiǎ): When used as an adjective, it means "false" or "fake", as in "假话" (false words) or "假货" (fake goods).

2. As a noun (jià): When used as a noun, it refers to holidays or vacations, such as "暑假" (summer vacation) or "年假" (annual leave).

3. As a verb (jiǎ): When used as a verb, it means "to pretend" or "to assume", as in "假装生病" (pretend to be sick) or "假定情况" (assume the situation).

4. In conjunction (jiǎ): When used in words like "假如" (if) or "假设" (hypothesis), it introduces hypothetical situations or conditions.

6. Cultural Background

The character "假" has important cultural implications in Chinese society. The concept of distinguishing between true and false (真假) is deeply rooted in Chinese philosophy, particularly in Confucian teachings which emphasize sincerity and honesty. On the other hand, the notion of holidays (假期) reflects traditional Chinese values of rest, family reunions, and cultural observances, with important holidays like Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival being central to Chinese cultural identity.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character "假" consists of two parts: the radical "亻" (person) and the component "叚" (jiǎ). You can remember it by thinking of a person (亻) who is not genuine or is pretending (叚). For the pronunciation, the component "叚" itself is pronounced "jiǎ", which directly matches one of the character's pronunciations.