Chinese word

好似

Pronunciation

Pinyinhǎo sì

Meaning

  • verbseem

Example

他好似不舒服。tā hǎo sì bù shū fú

He seems unwell.

Illustration for 好似 (seem)

More examples

小孩好似要哭。xiǎo hái hǎo sì yào kū

The child seems about to cry.

Core concept

Something appears close to a person, thing, or state, so the speaker offers the comparison as a tentative impression.

Common phrases

  • 好似生病hǎo sì shēng bìng

    seem sick

  • 好似要哭hǎo sì yào kū

    seem about to cry

  • 好似没说话hǎo sì méi shuō huà

    seem not to be speaking

Similar words

好像hǎo xiàng: Seem to be a certain way based on what can be seen or on the situation.
似乎sì hū: Seem to be a certain way when the speaker is not sure.
看起来kàn qǐ lái: Seem to be a certain way from someone's or something's outward appearance.

Definition in Chinese

表示说话人凭借看到的迹象或感觉判断某人或事呈现某种状态，语气偏向婉转、不太肯定。biǎo shì shuō huà rén píng jiè kàn dào de jì xiàng huò gǎn jué pàn duàn mǒu rén huò shì chéng xiàn móu zhǒng zhuàng tài yǔ qì piān xiàng wán zhuǎn bú tài kěn dìng

Word origin

好似 (hǎosì, "seem; resemble") is a lexicalized expression whose 似 (sì, "resemble") preserves the idea of resemblance, while the complete form conventionally marks an apparent state.

Usage tips

  • When the speaker has only an impression, this form keeps the sentence open for correction instead of presenting the same state as an established fact.

Other meanings

  • resembleverb

Opposites

  • 不像bú xiàngnot resembleverb

Word lists with this word