Chinese word

冒充

Pronunciation

Pinyinmào chōng

Meaning

  • verbpretend to be

Example

他冒充警察骗取钱财。tā mào chōng jǐng chá piàn qǔ qián cái

He pretended to be a police officer to swindle money.

Illustration for 冒充 (pretend to be)

More examples

有人通过电话冒充客服，骗取了客户的验证码。yǒu rén tōng guò diàn huà mào chōng kè fú piàn qǔ le kè hù de yàn zhèng mǎ

Someone impersonated customer service over the phone and tricked a customer into giving up their verification code.

Core concept

Taking another person's identity or role and acting under it as if it were genuine.

Common phrases

  • 冒充身份mào chōng shēn fèn

    pretend to be someone

  • 冒充客服mào chōng kè fú

    impersonate customer service

  • 冒充账号mào chōng zhàng hào

    impersonate an account

Similar words

冒名顶替mào míng dǐng tì: Taking another person's place in a position or role by using that person's name.
冒用mào yòng: Using someone else's name, account, or authentication details without permission.
假扮jiǎ bàn: Disguising oneself as another person through appearance, clothing, or behavior.

Definition in Chinese

冒用他人的姓名、身份或资格，并以该身份行事以达到欺骗或获取利益的行为。mào yòng tā rén de xìng míng shēn fèn huò zī gé bìng yǐ gāi shēn fèn xíng shì yǐ dá dào qī piàn huò huò qǔ lì yì de xíng wéi

Word origin

The compound pairs 冒 (mào, "pass oneself off as") with 充 (chōng, "serve as"), linking a false assumption of identity with taking another person's role.

Usage tips

  • English "pretend to be" can describe harmless play, whereas this verb usually signals deceptive impersonation, especially when the false identity is used for gain.

Other meanings

  • claim to beverb
  • disguise oneself asverb

Opposites

  • 揭穿jiē chuānexposeverb

Related words

  • 冒充者mào chōng zhěimpersonatornoun

Word lists with this word