Japanese word

まるで

Pronunciation

Romajimarude

Meaning

  • adverbas if

Example

彼女はまるで先生のように話します。kano jo wa ma ru de sen sei no yō ni hana shi ma su

She talks as if she were a teacher.

Illustration for まるで (as if)

More examples

その絵はまるで写真のようです。so no e wa ma ru de sha shin no yō de su

That painting looks just like a photograph.

Core concept

Marks a comparison so vivid that something is presented as though it truly had another identity or state.

Common phrases

  • まるで映画のようにma ru de ei ga no yō ni

    just like a movie

  • まるで本物のようにma ru de hon mono no yō ni

    as if it were real

Similar words

本当にhontōni: States that something is truly or actually the case.
いかにもikanimo: Indicates that something clearly has the expected appearance or character.

Definition in Japanese

あるものを、実際には異なる別のものと同じようなものとして示す意を表す語。a ru mo no o jis sai ni wa koto na ru betsu no mo no to ona ji yō na mo no to shi te shime su i o arawa su go

Word origin

The adverb まるで (marude) comes from 丸 (maru, "whole") + で (de, "by" or "with"); its earlier sense of "completely" developed into an unreal comparison.

Usage tips

  • English learners may expect まるで (marude) to mean only "as if," but it also strengthens a resemblance when the comparison is not literally true.

Other meanings

  • just likeadverb

Word lists with this word