GRAMMAR DETAIL

〜じみる

to take on the air of

Indicates that words or behavior strongly take on an unwelcome quality, such as sounding like an excuse or a lecture.

Examples

彼の説明は次第に言い訳じみて、説得力を失っていった。

His explanation gradually began to sound like an excuse and lost its persuasiveness.

その話は作り話じみている。

That story sounds made up.

彼の忠告は説教じみて聞こえた。

His advice sounded like a lecture.

Structure: Attach じみる to a noun such as 言い訳 or 説教 to describe words or behavior strongly taking on that character, often with disapproval.
Basic usage: 彼の忠告は説教じみて聞こえた。 means that his advice sounded like a lecture.

Inflection and noun modification
- じみる inflects as じみて and じみた. The form じみた can modify a following noun, as in 言い訳じみた説明.
Assessing an apparent character
- 作り話じみている assesses a story as having a made-up quality. It is less categorical than directly identifying it as fabrication with 作り話だ.