How to say "make-believe" in Japanese

• まやかし
  no-adjectiveCovers make-believe only as deceptive pretence: something false passed off as real. Its core senses are deception, fakery and counterfeiting, so for playful or innocent make-believe it is seldom the word you want.
• 真似事まねごと
  nounA less common word covering make-believe as pretence or imitation: playing at something rather than doing it in earnest, or a mere imitation that falls short of the real thing.
  彼かれは自殺じさつの真似事まねごとをやった。↗

  He put on a suicide act.

For make-believe as playful pretending or imitation choose まねごと; 「まやかし」 really means deception or fakery, so it fits only make-believe in the sense of a sham passed off as real.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• まやかしdeception
• 真似事まねごとimitation
• 狂言きょうげんmake-believe