To play-act is to put on a show of feeling — to look serious, hurt, brave, or sincere — when that is not the real feeling. A child may play-act being ill to stay home. An adult may play-act shock in a meeting.

To play-act is就是 to put on a show of feeling把感覺演成一場戲—— to look看起來 serious很認真、 hurt很受傷、 brave很勇敢 or sincere或很誠懇—— when that is not the real feeling但那並不是真正的感覺。 A child小孩 to stay home為了留在家裡 may可能會 play-act being ill裝病。 An adult大人 in a meeting在會議上 may play-act可能裝出 shock震驚。

The picture comes from the stage: you play, and you act, as in a play. In real life the word is a little unkind. It says the person is performing.

The picture這個畫面 comes from來自 the stage舞台： you play你演、 and you act你演戲， as in a play就像在一齣戲裡那樣。 In real life用在真實生活裡 the word這個字 is a little unkind有點不客氣。 It它 says是在說 the person這個人 is performing在表演。

You will hear it most as a verb (“Stop play-acting”). The behaviour itself can also be called play-acting.

You will hear it你聽到它 most as a verb最常是當動詞 (“Stop play-acting”「別再裝了」)。 The behaviour itself這種行為本身 can also be called也可以叫做 play-acting。

It is not the same as acting in a school play, where everyone knows it is a story. Play-acting in this sense is pretending in life, and hoping other people will believe the feeling.

It它 as acting in a school play和在學校話劇裡演戲 is not the same不一樣： where那種場合 everyone每個人 knows都知道 it is a story那是個故事。 in this sense這個意思裡的 Play-acting， is是 in life在真實生活裡 pretending假裝， and hoping並且希望 other people別人 will believe會相信 the feeling那份感覺。