Meaning
虚幻 describes something that appears real but is actually illusory, imaginary, or not grounded in reality. It often refers to dreams, fantasies, illusions, or things that seem deceptive or insubstantial. The word combines the sense of emptiness or falseness (虚) with illusion or magical appearance (幻).
Usage
虚幻 is commonly used in literary, philosophical, or artistic contexts to describe unrealistic fantasies, dreams, or illusions. It carries a somewhat poetic or abstract quality and is less common in everyday casual speech. Often appears in phrases like 虚幻的世界 (illusory world) or 虚幻的梦想 (unrealistic dreams).
Examples
- 01电影中的特效让整个场景看起来虚幻而神秘。.The special effects in the movie made the entire scene look illusory and mysterious.
- 02她觉得这一切就像一场虚幻的梦。.She felt that all of this was like an illusory dream.
Characters
Common collocations
- 虚幻的世界illusory world
- 虚幻的梦想unrealistic dream
- 虚幻感sense of unreality
Antonyms
Origin
Both characters have ancient origins. 虚 originally depicted a hill or mound (虍) over a tiger, suggesting something hollow or empty. 幻 combines 幺 (tiny/mysterious) with radical elements suggesting magical transformation or deceptive appearances.