(かそう)

かそう
noun
virtual, imaginary, hypothetical
technical
See also: 下層(かそう) (lower stratum), 火葬(かそう) (cremation)
1. virtual, simulated
Something that exists in a computer-generated or digital form rather than physically. Widely used in technology and computing contexts.
仮想(かそう)現実(げんじつ)世界(せかい)体験(たいけん)した
I experienced the world of virtual reality.
The price of cryptocurrency fluctuated greatly.
To set up a test environment on a virtual machine.
2. imaginary, hypothetical, assumed
Something assumed or imagined for the purpose of planning, training, or analysis. Used for hypothetical scenarios and assumed opponents or situations.
仮想(かそう)敵国(てきこく)想定(そうてい)した訓練(くんれん)だ。
It is a drill assuming a hypothetical enemy country.
We made a plan based on a hypothetical scenario.
An evacuation drill simulating a disaster was conducted.

Usage

Extremely common in modern Japanese, especially in technology contexts. The compound 仮想(かそう)通貨(つうか) (cryptocurrency) became widely known with the rise of Bitcoin.

Compounds

  • 仮想(かそう)現実(げんじつ) (VR): virtual reality
  • 仮想(かそう)通貨(つうか): cryptocurrency, virtual currency
  • 仮想(かそう)空間(くうかん): virtual space, cyberspace
  • 仮想(かそう)(てき): hypothetical enemy
  • 仮想(かそう)マシン: virtual machine

Similar words

Do not confuse with the homophones 下層(かそう) (lower stratum) or 火葬(かそう) (cremation).