1.
to deceive, to lie, to misrepresent
To present false information or hide the truth, especially about oneself or one's identity.
名前を偽る。
To give a false name.
年齢を偽って入場した。
I got in by lying about my age.
自分の気持ちを偽ることはできない。
You can't deceive your own feelings.
2.
to falsify, to forge, to fabricate
To alter or create false documents, records, or evidence.
書類を偽る。
To falsify documents.
経歴を偽って就職するのは犯罪になりうる。
Getting a job by falsifying your background can constitute a crime.
証拠を偽れば、厳しい罰を受ける。
If you fabricate evidence, you will face severe punishment.
TRANSITIVITY: 他動詞 (transitive). Pattern: Xを偽る.
USAGE:
偽る is a formal, literary verb. In everyday speech, 嘘をつく (to tell a lie) or ごまかす (to fudge/cheat) are more common. 偽る implies deliberate, conscious deception.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 名前を偽る: to give a false name
- 身分を偽る: to misrepresent one's identity
- 年齢を偽る: to lie about one's age
- 経歴を偽る: to falsify one's background
- 気持ちを偽る: to hide one's true feelings
KANJI NOTE:
The kanji 偽 also appears in the noun 偽物 (fake, counterfeit). The on'yomi compound 偽造 (forgery) is a related legal term.