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弄虚作假nòng xū zuò jiǎto practice fraud (idiom); by trickery

HSK 7–9idiom

By Chinese Copilot · Last updated

弄虚作假 (nòng xū zuò jiǎ) means to practice fraud, or to get something by trickery. Speakers can use it about people who fake numbers, results, or reports to cheat others, for example in exams, at work, or in business, and it describes dishonest behavior.

What does 弄虚作假 mean?

  1. 1.

    to practice fraud (idiom); by trickeryidiom

Figurative meaning
To practice fraud; by trickery.

What do the characters in 弄虚作假 mean?

  • 弄to do
  • 虚false
  • 作to do; to engage in
  • 假fake

Where does 弄虚作假 come from?

No attested origin story

How do you use 弄虚作假?

弄虚作假 usually works as a verb phrase, as in 不能弄虚作假, and fits warnings about honesty.

What are some examples of 弄虚作假 in a sentence?

  1. 考试不能弄虚作假。

    Kǎoshì bù néng nòng xū zuò jiǎ.

    You must not cheat or practice fraud in exams.

  2. 他在报告里弄虚作假,被公司发现了。

    Tā zài bàogào lǐ nòng xū zuò jiǎ, bèi gōngsī fāxiàn le.

    He faked things in his report, and the company found out.

  3. 做生意不要弄虚作假。

    Zuò shēngyi bú yào nòng xū zuò jiǎ.

    Don't use trickery when doing business.

How is 弄虚作假 used in a conversation?

  1. Speaker A:

    听说他的成绩是假的?

    Tīngshuō tā de chéngjì shì jiǎ de?

    I heard his grades are fake?

  2. Speaker B:

    对,他弄虚作假了。

    Duì, tā nòng xū zuò jiǎ le.

    Yes, he practiced fraud.

  3. Speaker A:

    老师发现了吗?

    Lǎoshī fāxiàn le ma?

    Did the teacher find out?

  4. Speaker B:

    发现了,他很后悔。

    Fāxiàn le, tā hěn hòuhuǐ.

    Yes, and he regrets it a lot.

Can you use 弄虚作假 correctly?

0 of 3 answered
  1. 1.What does 弄虚作假 mean?
  2. 2.Which sentence uses 弄虚作假 correctly?
  3. 3.Which word fits best? 做生意不要____。 (Don't use trickery when doing business.)

What should you learn next?

English glosses on this page are adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG (snapshot 2026-10-23), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Glosses were edited for learners.