The two characters combine to mean “(something) that possesses the quality of being fake.”
The term `假的` is deeply embedded in the daily life of modern China, partly due to the well-known phenomenon of counterfeit goods, or `山寨 (shānzhài)`. For decades, China was famous for producing knock-offs of everything from iPhones to luxury handbags. Because of this, the ability to discern and comment on whether something is `真的 (zhēn de)` or `假的` is a practical, everyday skill. While in English we might use different words for different contexts—“counterfeit” for goods, “false” for information, “artificial” for materials, and “insincere” for emotions—`假的` is versatile enough to cover almost all these situations. This makes it a high-frequency and incredibly useful word. The Western concept of “authenticity” is a good parallel. We value authentic experiences and authentic people. In China, calling something `假的` can be a simple statement of fact (e.g., “artificial flowers”) or a sharp criticism, implying deception or a lack of sincerity (e.g., “a fake smile”). The word carries a strong sense of “not genuine.”
`假的` is used constantly in a wide range of informal and formal situations.