假

The glyph operates across two primary axes:

1. The Provisional (Borrowing/Temporary): Literal borrowing of an object or service for a limited time; the use of a pretext or justification to achieve an end; a state of being provisional, such as a leave of absence from duty.

2. The Spurious (Pretense/Falsehood): Feigning or pretending by assuming a role or emotion to mask reality; counterfeit, fake, or not genuine.

• Verb: To borrow; to pretend/feign.
• Adjective: Temporary, provisional, or false.
• Modifier/Adverbial: When appearing before an action, it can indicate that the action is performed by means of borrowed authority or under a specific pretext.

• 假 vs. 借 (jiè): While both translate as "borrow," 借 typically denotes the transaction (the act of lending and returning), whereas 假 emphasizes the state of using something not one's own or the provisional nature of the arrangement.

Tang-period reading: gǎ.

• Administrative contexts: Avoid translating as "vacation" in a modern leisure sense; prefer "leave of absence" or "temporary relief from duty."
• Heuristic: In administrative or political contexts, prioritize senses of provisionality and pretext. In moral or descriptive contexts, prioritize senses of falsehood and counterfeit.