GRAMMAR DETAIL
～のような
Follows a noun and modifies another noun by describing it as having similar qualities.
Examples
雪のような白い花が庭に咲いた。
White flowers like snow bloomed in the garden.
Words used
夕方の湖は鏡のような光を放っていました。
In the evening, the lake gave off a mirror-like glow.
Words used
Study notes
1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning
- Structure: Add
のようなto the comparison noun to modify the following noun or noun phrase. - Basic usage:
雪のような白い花が庭に咲いた。describes white flowers by comparing them to snow.
2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions
- Modifying a noun or a state
雪のような花modifies the noun for flowers, while雪のように白いmodifies the state of being white. Chooseなorにaccording to the expression that follows.
- The two sides of the comparison
- In
鏡のような光, the mirror is the comparison standard and the light is what is described. Reversing the nouns creates a different comparison.
- In