English–Chinese
“seem familiar” in Chinese
Chinese
Pronunciation
Pinyinsì céng xiāng shí
Example
看到这幅画我突然觉得似曾相识。kàn dào zhè fú huà wǒ tū rán jué de sì céng xiāng shí
Seeing this painting, I suddenly feel like I've seen it before.
How to say “seem familiar” in Chinese
“Seem familiar” in Chinese is 似曾相识 (sì céng xiāng shí).
An old trace of memory seems to overlay a person, scene, or thing in the present.
Example sentences with 似曾相识
走进旧城区，一处熟悉的拐角让我感到似曾相识。zǒu jìn jiù chéng qū yí chù shú xī de guái jiǎo ràng wǒ gǎn dào sì céng xiāng shí
Walking into the old city, a familiar corner made me feel like I had seen it before.
Tips for using 似曾相识
- In everyday conversation, 有点儿 (yǒudiǎnr, "a little") often softens this expression, while the idiom itself can sound more literary than plain spoken wording.