‘模拟’ (mó nǐ) is a verb meaning ‘to simulate’ or ‘to mimic’—that is, to create an artificial representation of a real process, system, or behavior in order to study, test, or train without using the actual thing. The first character 模 (mó) means ‘model’ or ‘pattern’, and the second 拟 (nǐ) means ‘to imitate’ or ‘to approximate’. Together, they convey the idea of constructing a close replica for functional or experimental purposes.

This word is commonly used in technical, scientific, medical, and educational contexts—for example, simulating disease progression in medical research, modeling climate patterns, or running flight simulator training. It implies intentionality and fidelity: the simulation aims to reflect key features of reality, though not perfectly. It’s more formal and precise than casual words like ‘copy’ or ‘pretend’, and rarely appears in informal speech about everyday actions.