GRAMMAR DETAIL

らしい

apparently · I hear that

Expresses hearsay or an inference based on information obtained indirectly.

Examples

この町では秋祭りが有名らしい。

Apparently, the fall festival is famous in this town.

天気予報によると、明日は暑くなるらしい。

According to the weather forecast, it will apparently get hot tomorrow.

駅前に新しい書店ができるらしい。

I hear that a new bookstore will open in front of the station.

Structure: らしい conveys hearsay or inference based on indirectly obtained information; after a noun or na-adjective it omits present affirmative だ.
Basic usage: 駅前に新しい書店ができるらしい。 reports the planned bookstore on the basis of information obtained rather than stating it as a directly verified fact.

Hearsay versus a characteristic quality
- Depending on context, 彼は学生らしい can infer from received information that he is a student. 学生らしい服装 instead describes student-like clothing, so the modified expression and context help distinguish the uses.
Different connections from そうだ
- Hearsay 有名だそうだ retains だ, but 有名らしい does not. Similar meanings do not make the noun and na-adjective connections identical.