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| 虚假信息 [2025/08/12 09:14] – created xiaoer | 虚假信息 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== xūjiǎ xìnxī: 虚假信息 - False Information / Fake News ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** xujia xinxi, 虚假信息, false information in Chinese, fake news in Chinese, disinformation, misinformation, Chinese internet, social media, WeChat rumors, 谣言, propaganda, online scams. | |
| * **Summary:** Learn how to say "fake news" or "false information" in Chinese with the term **虚假信息 (xūjiǎ xìnxī)**. This guide explores its meaning, cultural significance on the Chinese internet, and practical usage. Understand how it differs from "rumor" (谣言), and learn to identify and discuss it with over 10 real-world example sentences. Essential vocabulary for navigating modern China's digital landscape. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** xūjiǎ xìnxī | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Noun Phrase | |
| * **HSK Level:** Components are HSK 4/5 (虚 xū HSK5, 假 jiǎ HSK4, 信息 xìnxī HSK4) | |
| * **Concise Definition:** Information that is intentionally fabricated, distorted, or untrue; false information. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** **虚假信息 (xūjiǎ xìnxī)** is the standard and slightly formal term for what English speakers call "fake news," "disinformation," or "false information." It's a broad term covering everything from internet hoaxes and commercial scams to misleading official reports. While it sounds a bit technical, it's widely used by everyone from government officials to regular people on social media. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **虚 (xū):** Empty, void, unreal, false. Think of something that is hollow or has no substance. | |
| * **假 (jiǎ):** Fake, false, counterfeit. This is the same character in `放假 (fàngjià)` (to have a holiday), but here it means "false." | |
| * **信 (xìn):** Letter, message, information, trust. | |
| * **息 (xī):** News, message, breath. | |
| When combined, `虚假 (xūjiǎ)` becomes a powerful adjective meaning "false and fake." `信息 (xìnxī)` is the standard word for "information." So, **虚假信息** literally translates to "false/fake information," leaving no room for doubt about its untruthfulness. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| In the West, "fake news" became a popular term during the 2016 US election, often associated with political polarization and social media algorithms. In China, the concept of **虚假信息 (xūjiǎ xìnxī)** has a unique and potent significance tied to the country's media environment. | |
| The term is frequently used by the Chinese government and state media in campaigns to "clean up the internet" (净化网络环境 - jìnghuà wǎngluò huánjìng). The government actively cracks down on what it deems to be **虚假信息**, which can range from genuine health scams and financial fraud to politically sensitive topics and dissent that challenge the official narrative. Therefore, an accusation of spreading **虚假信息** can have serious consequences. | |
| Compared to the Western concept of "fake news," which is often a debate between different political factions, in China the term is more top-down. The government is often positioned as the ultimate arbiter of truth, and its act of "debunking rumors" (辟谣 - pìyáo) is presented as a public service. For an ordinary citizen, **虚假信息** is also a daily concern, especially for older generations on WeChat who may be susceptible to sensational health myths or online scams. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **虚假信息** is a term you'll encounter in both formal and informal contexts. | |
| * **On Social Media (WeChat/Weibo):** Users might forward an article with a warning: "Be careful, this might be **虚假信息**." It's commonly used to describe dubious health advice, celebrity gossip, and conspiracy theories. | |
| * **In the News & Official Announcements:** Government websites and news outlets will issue statements like, "We must resolutely combat the spread of **虚假信息**" (我们必须坚决打击**虚假信息**的传播). This is the standard, official term. | |
| * **In Conversation:** While a bit formal, it's perfectly normal to use in conversation. For example, when discussing a piece of news someone told you, you might say, "I checked, and that was **虚假信息**." | |
| The connotation is always negative. It implies deceit and a deliberate attempt to mislead. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| * **Example 1:** | |
| * 网络上充满了**虚假信息**，你要学会分辨。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wǎngluò shàng chōngmǎnle **xūjiǎ xìnxī**, nǐ yào xuéhuì fēnbiàn. | |
| * English: The internet is full of **false information**; you need to learn to distinguish it. | |
| * Analysis: A common warning. `分辨 (fēnbiàn)` means "to distinguish" or "to differentiate," a skill often paired with the concept of **虚假信息**. | |
| * **Example 2:** | |
| * 很多老年人容易相信微信里的**虚假信息**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Hěnduō lǎoniánrén róngyì xiāngxìn Wēixìn lǐ de **xūjiǎ xìnxī**. | |
| * English: Many elderly people easily believe the **false information** on WeChat. | |
| * Analysis: This highlights a well-known social phenomenon in China. WeChat is a primary source of information for many older adults. | |
| * **Example 3:** | |
| * 政府正在严厉打击传播**虚假信息**的行为。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ zhèngzài yánlì dǎjī chuánbō **xūjiǎ xìnxī** de xíngwéi. | |
| * English: The government is strictly cracking down on the act of spreading **false information**. | |
| * Analysis: This sentence uses official-sounding language. `严厉打击 (yánlì dǎjī)` means "to severely crack down on." `传播 (chuánbō)` is "to spread" or "to disseminate." | |
| * **Example 4:** | |
| * 这篇关于治疗癌症的文章被证实是**虚假信息**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè piān guānyú zhìliáo áizhèng de wénzhāng bèi zhèngshí shì **xūjiǎ xìnxī**. | |
| * English: This article about curing cancer has been confirmed to be **false information**. | |
| * Analysis: `被证实 (bèi zhèngshí)` means "to be confirmed" or "to be verified," often used when officially debunking something. | |
| * **Example 5:** | |
| * 他因为一则关于股市的**虚假信息**而损失了很多钱。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi yī zé guānyú gǔshì de **xūjiǎ xìnxī** ér sǔnshīle hěnduō qián. | |
| * English: He lost a lot of money because of a piece of **false information** about the stock market. | |
| * Analysis: Shows the real-world consequences. `一则 (yī zé)` is a measure word for news or information. | |
| * **Example 6:** | |
| * 我们怎么才能识别**虚假信息**呢？ | |
| * Pinyin: Wǒmen zěnme cáinéng shíbié **xūjiǎ xìnxī** ne? | |
| * English: How can we identify **false information**? | |
| * Analysis: A practical question. `识别 (shíbié)` is a key verb meaning "to identify" or "to recognize." | |
| * **Example 7:** | |
| * 那个产品的广告包含了很多**虚假信息**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Nàge chǎnpǐn de guǎnggào bāohánle hěnduō **xūjiǎ xìnxī**. | |
| * English: That product's advertisement contained a lot of **false information**. | |
| * Analysis: This applies the term to commercial contexts, like false advertising. | |
| * **Example 8:** | |
| * 不要轻易转发未经证实的消息，可能那是**虚假信息**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Búyào qīngyì zhuǎnfā wèi jīng zhèngshí de xiāoxi, kěnéng nà shì **xūjiǎ xìnxī**. | |
| * English: Don't easily forward unverified news; it might be **false information**. | |
| * Analysis: A piece of advice for social media etiquette. `转发 (zhuǎnfā)` is "to forward." `未经证实 (wèi jīng zhèngshí)` means "unverified." | |
| * **Example 9:** | |
| * 发布**虚假信息**是违法的。 | |
| * Pinyin: Fābù **xūjiǎ xìnxī** shì wéifǎ de. | |
| * English: Publishing **false information** is illegal. | |
| * Analysis: A direct and serious statement. `发布 (fābù)` means "to publish" or "to release." `违法 (wéifǎ)` means "to break the law." | |
| * **Example 10:** | |
| * 他的指控毫无根据，完全是**虚假信息**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā de zhǐkòng háo wú gēnjù, wánquán shì **xūjiǎ xìnxī**. | |
| * English: His accusation is completely baseless; it's pure **false information**. | |
| * Analysis: Used in the context of personal or professional disputes. `毫无根据 (háo wú gēnjù)` means "completely without basis." | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **`虚假信息` vs. `谣言 (yáoyán)`:** This is the most important distinction. | |
| * **虚假信息 (xūjiǎ xìnxī):** A broad, somewhat formal term for any information that is false. It can refer to a news report, an ad, a scientific paper, or a rumor. It is the "umbrella term." | |
| * **谣言 (yáoyán):** A rumor. It's a specific *type* of **虚假信息**. A `谣言` is typically sensational, unverified, and spread through informal channels (like gossip or social media chains). All `谣言` are `虚假信息`, but not all `虚假信息` are `谣言`. For example, a deliberately falsified financial report is `虚假信息`, but you wouldn't typically call it a `谣言`. | |
| * **`虚假信息` vs. `假新闻 (jiǎ xīnwén)`:** | |
| * **假新闻 (jiǎ xīnwén)** is a more direct, literal translation of "fake news." It's more colloquial and used specifically to talk about news-style articles that are fake. **虚假信息** is broader and more standard. | |
| * **Common Mistake:** Avoid creating your own term like `假的`信息 (jiǎ de xìnxī). While a native speaker would understand you, it sounds unnatural. The established, correct term is **虚假信息 (xūjiǎ xìnxī)** or the slightly softer **不实信息 (bùshí xìnxī)** (inaccurate information). | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[谣言]] (yáoyán) - A rumor. A specific, informal type of `虚假信息`. | |
| * [[辟谣]] (pìyáo) - To debunk a rumor. The action taken to counter a `谣言`. | |
| * [[假新闻]] (jiǎ xīnwén) - Fake news. A more colloquial and direct loanword, specifically for news articles. | |
| * [[诈骗]] (zhàpiàn) - Fraud; a scam. Scams almost always rely on spreading `虚假信息` to trick people. | |
| * [[不实信息]] (bùshí xìnxī) - Inaccurate/untrue information. A slightly softer, more neutral synonym for `虚假信息`. It focuses on the lack of truth rather than the deliberate deception. | |
| * [[误导]] (wùdǎo) - To mislead. The verb for what `虚假信息` does to people. | |
| * [[宣传]] (xuānchuán) - Propaganda; to publicize. While not always false, it often implies biased or one-sided information, which can overlap with `虚假信息`. | |
| * [[事实核查]] (shìshí héchá) - Fact-checking. The process of verifying information to determine if it is `虚假信息`. | |