Expressing "it seems" with "haoxiang"

To express "seems," the word 好像 (hǎoxiàng) can be used.

Structure

The structure for this is:

Subj. + 好像 + [Observation]

Note that if this structure is used without a subject, it has the meaning of "it seems that..." in English. This could then be followed by an entire statement.

Examples

• 他 好像 是 英国 人 。Tā hǎoxiàng shì Yīngguó rén.He seems to be British.
• 你 好像 不 是 本地 人 。Nǐ hǎoxiàng bù shì běndì rén.You don't seem to be local.
• 她 好像 有点 喜欢 你 。Tā hǎoxiàng yǒudiǎn xǐhuan nǐ.It seems that she has a crush on you.
• 他们 好像 分手 了 。Tāmen hǎoxiàng fēnshǒu le.They seem to have broken up.
• 你 好像 生病 了 。Nǐ hǎoxiàng shēngbìng le.It seems like you're sick.
• 好像 要 下雨 了 。Hǎoxiàng yào xiàyǔ le.It seems like it's going to rain.
• 我们 好像 见 过 。It seems that we've met.
• 好像 没有 人 能 帮 他 。Hǎoxiàng méiyǒu rén néng bāng tā.It seems that nobody can help him.
• 牛奶 好像 过期 了 ，别 喝 了 。Niúnǎi hǎoxiàng guòqī le, bié hē le.The milk might have expired. Stop drinking it.
• 你 好像 很怕 你 老婆 。Nǐ hǎoxiàng hěn pà nǐ lǎopo.You seem to fear your wife.

See also

• Appearance with "kanqilai"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼) (pp. 41) →buy
• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 101) →buy
• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 157) →buy