Expressing "it seems" with "haoxiang"

Level

B1 / HSK4
Level

B1
Level

HSK4
Similar to
- Appearance with "kanqilai" (B1)
- Assessing situations with "kanlai" (B2)
- Expressing "as if" with "sihu" (C1)
Similar to
- Appearance with "kanqilai" (HSK3)
- Assessing situations with "kanlai" (HSK4)
- Expressing "as if" with "sihu" (HSK6)
Used for

Observing
Keywords

好像, 像

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

Structure

Subj. + 好像 ⋯⋯

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.
她好像生病了。Tā hǎoxiàng shēngbìng le.It seems like she's sick.
你好像很不喜欢她。Nǐ hǎoxiàng hěn bù xǐhuan tā.It seems that you dislike her a lot.
王先生好像很怕他老婆。Wáng xiānsheng hǎoxiàng hěn pà tā lǎopo.Mr. Wang seems to fear his wife a lot.
他一个人坐在那儿，好像在想事情。Tā yī gèrén zuò zài nàr, hǎoxiàng zài xiǎng shìqing.He's sitting there all by himself. It seems like that he's thinking about something.

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.

好像不行。Hǎoxiàng bù xíng.It seems that it didn't work.
好像要下雨了。Hǎoxiàng yào xiàyǔ le.It seems that it's going to rain.
好像有人敲门。Hǎoxiàng yǒu rén qiāo mén.It seems that someone is knocking at the door.
好像有人来过。Hǎoxiàng yǒu rén lái guo.It seems that someone was here.

Sources and further reading

Books

Expressing "it seems" with "haoxiang"

Contents

Structure

Examples

See also

Sources and further reading

Books