Meaning of 好像
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- as if
- to seem like
How to use 好像
好像 softens a statement to show you are not fully sure, much like English "it seems" or "I think". It often pairs with 一样 (yíyàng) to make a comparison, as in 好像...一样 (as if). Example: 他好像生病了。(Tā hǎoxiàng shēngbìng le.) He seems to be sick.
好 (hǎo) means good and 像 (xiàng) means to resemble, so 好像 is like saying something looks a lot like something else. When it seems like X, you say 好像 X.
Common mistake: Learners often read 好 here as hào, the tone used in 爱好 (àihào), but in 好像 it is third tone hǎo. In fast speech the first syllable sounds low and the second falls sharply, so do not flatten 像 (xiàng) into a neutral tone.
好像 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
好 hǎo · good · 6 strokes
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像 xiàng · to resemble · 13 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 好像.
| 最好 | zuìhǎo | best; had better ...; it would be best to ... |
| 好吃 | hǎochī | tasty; delicious |
| 好看 | hǎokàn | good-looking; nice-looking; (of a movie, book, TV show etc) good |
| 好听 | hǎotīng | pleasant to hear |
| 爱好 | àihào | to like; to be fond of; to take pleasure in; to be keen on; interest; hobby |
| 好玩儿 | hǎowánr | erhua variant of 好玩[hao3 wan2] |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎoyìsi | to feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing |
| 好多 | hǎoduō | many; quite a lot |
| 好人 | hǎorén | good person; healthy person |
| 正好 | zhènghǎo | just (in time); just right |
| 好事 | hǎoshì | good action, deed, thing or work (also sarcastic, "a fine thing indeed"); charity |
| 好处 | hǎochù | easy to get along with |
Questions about 好像
What does 好像 mean?
好像 (hǎoxiàng) means "as if; to seem like" and is used as a adverb and verb.
How do you write 好像?
好像 is made of 2 characters: 好 (6 strokes), 像 (13 strokes). That is 19 strokes in total.
Is 好像 an HSK word?
Yes. 好像 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 好像 and 像?
像 (xiàng) on its own states a resemblance directly, as in 你像你妈妈 (you look like your mom). 好像 adds uncertainty or an impression, so 你好像很累 means you seem tired. 好像 can also come before a whole clause, while 像 usually takes a noun.
Where does 好像 go in a sentence?
It usually goes after the subject and before the verb or adjective, like 我好像忘了 (I seem to have forgotten). It can also start a sentence: 好像要下雨了 (It looks like it is going to rain).