Meaning and Usage
"偽造" (ぎぞう) refers to the act of forging or fabricating something, often documents, signatures, or goods. It is a formal term commonly used in legal, official, and criminal contexts.
Common Contexts
You will often see "偽造" used with passports, documents, signatures, and products (like counterfeit goods). It implies intentional deception by creating a fake version of something genuine.
Collocations and Patterns
- 偽造品 (ぎぞうひん): counterfeit goods, fake products
- 偽造パスポート: forged passport
- 署名を偽造する: to forge a signature
- 偽造が発覚する: forgery is discovered
Register and Nuance
This word is formal and typically appears in news reports, legal documents, and police reports. It is not used casually in everyday conversation unless discussing crime or fraud.
Common Learner Mistake
Confusing "偽造" with "模造" (もぞう), which means imitation or reproduction but not necessarily illegal forgery. "偽造" always implies illegal or fraudulent intent.