imitation
imitation — adjective
1. produced to resemble a genuine, usually expensive item, but sold as a cheaper su
produced to resemble a genuine, usually expensive item, but sold as a cheaper substitute
Michael bought an imitation leather jacket for a fraction of the real price.
collocation: imitation leather / imitation silk / imitation pearls
The market stalls sell imitation designer bags that look very convincing.
These imitation pearls look surprisingly real against my skin.
Apinya found imitation flowers at the crafts store that looked fresher than real ones.
Tourists were warned about buying imitation electronics from unlicensed vendors.
- fake
broader and more common in everyday speech; can refer to documents, money, or claims
- artificial
focuses on being man-made rather than natural, not necessarily a copy of something
- synthetic
technically made from chemical compounds; used for materials like fabric or rubber
文法句型
imitation + noun
用法筆記
Only placed before a noun (attributive). Describes products that copy the look of genuine items but are sold as cheaper alternatives. Not used to describe fake documents or counterfeit money — use 'fake' or 'counterfeit' for those.
常見錯誤
imitation — noun
1. copying how another person behaves, speaks, or moves — sometimes to entertain an
copying how another person behaves, speaks, or moves — sometimes to entertain an audience, or as a natural part of learning
The toddler's imitation of her father's sneeze made the whole family laugh.
countable: imitation of [person] for humour
Young children acquire language partly through imitation of the adults around them.
Kwame does a very funny imitation of the shopkeeper's strong accent.
Bilal's imitation of the physics teacher was so spot-on that everyone burst out laughing.
Some birds learn to sing by imitation rather than instinct.
- mimicry
focuses specifically on copying voice or movements; used in biology for animal camouflage behaviour
- impersonation
deliberate imitation of a specific person, often to deceive or for a performance
- parody
humorous imitation that exaggerates features of a style or person for comic effect
- originality
the quality of being novel or inventive rather than copied
文法句型
imitation of [person/thing]
do/give an imitation of [person]
用法筆記
When countable (a specific performance), it is often followed by 'of' to name the person being imitated. When uncountable, it refers to the general process of copying that underlies learning or social behaviour.
常見錯誤
2. an object made to look exactly like the original, usually sold more cheaply and
an object made to look exactly like the original, usually sold more cheaply and often of lower quality than the real thing
Daichi could not tell the difference between the real painting and the imitation.
an imitation of [original item]
The museum displayed a bronze imitation of the ancient statue so people could touch it.
Élise was disappointed to find that her silk scarf was only a cheap imitation.
Some restaurants serve imitation crab made from processed white fish.
That designer watch is a poor imitation — the logo on the face is slightly wrong.
- copy
more neutral term; a copy can be an exact reproduction without implying lower quality
- replica
official or authorised reproduction, often museum-quality
- counterfeit
illegal fake made with intent to deceive, usually of money or branded goods
- original
the authentic first version from which copies are made
- genuine article
the real thing, not a substitute
文法句型
an imitation of [original item]
a cheap/poor imitation
用法筆記
Often implies lower quality than the original. For neutral reproductions that do not aim to deceive (e.g. a museum replica), 'copy' or 'reproduction' sounds more objective. 'Imitation' carries a slightly negative tone of fakery.