verb HSK 5
to pretend to be · to pass oneself off as · to impersonate
Meaning
冒充 means to falsely claim to be someone or something you are not, often for deceptive purposes. It carries a negative connotation of fraud or impersonation. The word combines 冒 (to risk, to brave) with 充 (to fill, to serve as), literally suggesting 'risking to fill the role of' someone else.
Usage
冒充 is commonly used in contexts involving fraud, identity theft, or pretense. It often appears in news reports about scams (冒充警察 'impersonating police') or fake credentials. The word implies deliberate deception rather than innocent role-playing or acting.
Examples
- 01他冒充医生给病人看病，最后被警察抓住了。, .He pretended to be a doctor treating patients, and was eventually caught by the police.
- 02网上有很多骗子冒充银行工作人员骗取个人信息。.There are many scammers online impersonating bank employees to steal personal information.
Characters
Common collocations
- 冒充专家to pose as an expert
- 冒充警察to impersonate a police officer
- 冒充他人to impersonate another person
- 冒充身份to assume a false identity
Antonyms
Origin
The combination of 冒 (to risk) and 充 (to fill a role) creates the meaning of 'risking to fill someone else's position,' which naturally evolved into the sense of fraudulent impersonation.