(xiàng shì) - looks like, seems to be, as if in Mandarin
xiàngshìTraditional: 像是
Translation
looks like, seems to be, as if
Word origin
A two-character expression meaning looks like or seems to be. 像 (xiàng) 'to resemble' joins 是 (shì) 'to be', literally 'resembles being'. 像 is a phono-semantic compound of 亻 'person' and 象 phonetic.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 像 (xiàng, 'to resemble') + 是 (shì, 'to be')
Stroke order
像
是
Examples
。
He seems to know about this.
雨。
The sky looks like it's going to rain.
。
This piece of clothing looks expensive.
。
This seems like a dream.
。
He appears to be ill.
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).
Add to review queue
Track this word in your spaced-repetition queue and be tested on it at the right interval.
Go to my review queueThis word is part of lesson 12.