fictitious

Compared meaning: not real, existing only in stories or the mind (adjective).

比较义项：虚构的，只存在于故事或想象中，并非真实存在（形容词）。

• fabulous

  Fabulous describes mythical beings or things from ancient legends and fables, like dragons or unicorns, not ordinary invented things.

  fabulous 指来自古老传说或寓言中的神话生物或事物，如龙或独角兽，而不是一般凭空编造的东西。

  Knights in medieval legends often battled fabulous monsters like dragons.

  中世纪传说中的骑士常常与龙这样的神话怪兽搏斗。

• imaginary

  Imaginary describes something that exists only in someone's mind, with no objective reality, like a child's imaginary friend.

  imaginary 指只存在于某人脑海中的事物，没有客观实体，如孩子假想出来的朋友。

  The lonely boy invented an imaginary friend to talk to every night.

  这个孤单的男孩每晚都会和自己想象出来的朋友说话。

• fanciful

  Fanciful describes ideas or stories built on imagination rather than fact or reason, often whimsical or impractical.

  fanciful 指基于想象而非事实或理性构想出的、往往带有奇幻或不切实际色彩的想法或故事。

  The old sailor told fanciful tales of flying ships and floating islands.

  老水手讲述了关于会飞的船和漂浮岛屿的幻想故事。

• fictitious 本词

  Fictitious describes invented names, characters or places presented as if real, especially in novels or legal disclaimers.

  fictitious 指被当作真实事物提出的虚构姓名、人物或地点，常见于小说或法律免责声明中。

  The report used a fictitious company name to protect real identities.

  这份报告使用了一个虚构的公司名称以保护真实身份。

All four describe things not real. Fabulous describes mythical beings from legends; its meaning 'excellent' is not compared here. Imaginary describes something existing in the mind, like an imaginary friend. Fanciful describes ideas built on imagination, not fact. Fictitious describes invented names presented as real.

这四个词都可以表示“虚构的、并非真实存在的”，但侧重点不同，容易混淆。注意 fabulous 更常见的意思是“极好的，绝妙的”（如 a fabulous time），这里不比较该义项。