GRAMMAR DETAIL

〜と見まがうほど

enough to be mistaken for

Indicates that an appearance or state resembles something else so closely that the two could be mistaken for each other.

Examples

展示された模型は、本物の市街地と見まがうほど精密だった。

The model on display was so detailed that it could be mistaken for a real cityscape.

遠くから見ると、その島は船と見まがうほど小さい。

Seen from a distance, the island is so small that it could be mistaken for a ship.

Structure: Attach と見まがうほど to the noun naming what something could be mistaken for to express an exceptionally close resemblance.
Basic usage: 展示された模型は、本物の市街地と見まがうほど精密だった。 means that the model was detailed enough to look like an actual cityscape.

Comparison target and degree
- 見まがう is read みまがう, and と in 船と見まがう marks a ship as what the island could be mistaken for. The following ほど connects that possibility to a degree of smallness or detail.
Strength compared with に似ている
- 船に似ている describes resemblance to a ship. 船と見まがうほど goes beyond a simple similarity to highlight resemblance strong enough to cause misidentification.