像是 (xiàng shì) means looks like or seems to be. 像 means to resemble and 是 means to be, so together they suggest an appearance or seeming reality. It introduces an inference based on observation, similar to 好像 (hǎo xiàng) and 似乎 (sì hū), but slightly more direct. 像是 can begin a clause (像是在说谎, seems to be lying) or follow a subject (他像是不知道, he seems not to know).