Definition

1. Verb:
   • To pretend; to feign; to affect: To behave in a way that is not genuine or sincere, in order to deceive others or to create a specific false impression.
   • To sham; to make a show of: To deliberately act as if something is true when it is not, often for a specific purpose.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ta giả bộ ngạc nhiên khi nghe tin. (He pretended to be surprised upon hearing the news.)
  • Đừng giả bộ tử tế với tôi. (Don't pretend to be nice to me.)
  • Cô ấy giả bộ không biết gì về kế hoạch. (She feigned ignorance about the plan.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase often implies a conscious, deliberate act of deception for a tactical reason, such as to avoid responsibility, to gain sympathy, or to manipulate a situation.
• It can be used to describe pretending an emotion, a physical state (like illness), or a lack of knowledge.

Variants and Related Words

• Giả vờ (v): A very close synonym meaning "to pretend." The terms are often interchangeable, though can sometimes sound slightly more colloquial.
  • Nó giả vờ ngủ. (He pretended to be asleep.)

Synonyms

• Pretend: To speak and act so as to make it appear that something is the case when in fact it is not.
• Feign: To pretend to be affected by a feeling, state, or injury.
• Sham: A false display; to falsely present something.
• Affect: To put on a pretense of; to feign.

Related Idioms

• Giả bộ giả bịa: To pretend and fabricate; to put on a completely false act.

  • Câu chuyện của nó toàn là giả bộ giả bịa. (His story is all pretense and fabrication.)

• Giả bộ đoan trang: To pretend to be demure or well-behaved (often used ironically, similar to the English idiom "butter wouldn't melt in one's mouth").

  • Cứ giả bộ đoan trang thế thôi, chứ nó nghịch lắm. (She's just pretending to be demure; in reality, she's very mischievous.)

verb

1. to pretend; to affect; to sham
   • giả bộ ngu dốt
     To pretend ignorance
   • giả bộ đoan trang
     butter wouldn't melt in one's mouth