counterfeit; feign; stand on ceremony
Meanings
3 senses · 9 examplesverb
to counterfeit; to fake; to adulterate; to pass off the false as genuine
derogatoryCommonly used in the set phrase 弄虚作假. Often implies dishonest commercial or academic practices.
This antique is a fake; it's not worth anything.
The merchant adulterated the wine by adding water.
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He was arrested by the police for falsifying accounts.
verb
to play tricks; to feign ignorance; to pretend; to deceive
derogatoryImplies acting stupid or confused to avoid responsibility or trick someone.
Stop feigning ignorance in front of me; I know the truth.
He played dumb and pretended to be confused to avoid responsibility.
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Don't deceive people by playing tricks.
verb
to behave with affected politeness; to stand on ceremony; to be insincerely modest
informalUsed in informal contexts to tell someone to be natural and not overly polite, especially regarding food or hospitality.
Make yourself at home here; don't stand on ceremony!
If you haven't eaten your fill, just say so; don't be politely insincere.
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You are too affected; you clearly want to eat but say you don't.