似的
shì de HSK 5

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

他跑得飞似的快。
Tā pǎo de fēi shìde kuài.
He runs as fast as flying.
她看起来像孩子似的。
Tā kàn qǐlái xiàng háizi shìde.
She looks like a child.
天像要下雨似的。
Tiān xiàng yào xià yǔ shìde.
It looks like it's going to rain.
他像孩子似的。
Tā xiàng háizi shìde.
He is like a child.
她飞似的跑了。
Tā fēi shìde pǎo le.
She ran as if flying.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 似的 as 'seems like' – break it down: '似' (sì) means 'similar', and '的' (de) is a common particle. Remember the phrase '像...似的' (xiàng...shìde) as a fixed pattern meaning 'like...'.

📝 Usage Notes

似的 is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, in informal and semi-formal contexts. It often appears in descriptive language, such as in storytelling, poetry, or everyday comparisons to vividly illustrate a scene or feeling. It is frequently paired with '像' or '跟' to form patterns like '像...似的' or '跟...似的'.

📖 Grammar Points

似的 is used in patterns such as 'A + 像/跟 + B + 似的', where A is compared to B. It can also follow adjectives or verbs directly, e.g., '疯了似的' (like crazy). It does not change form and always remains '似的', even in questions or negatives.

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 似的 is often used in idiomatic expressions and vivid descriptions to convey imagery, reflecting a preference for metaphorical language in communication. It adds a poetic or emphatic touch, common in classical and modern literature.

🔄 Similar Words

似的 is similar to '像' (xiàng, meaning 'like') and '仿佛' (fǎngfú, meaning 'as if'), but differs in usage: '似的' is an auxiliary that must follow the compared element, often in a fixed structure, while '像' can stand alone as a verb. '仿佛' is more literary and formal than '似的'.

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